Summary:
Zip code 39828 is home to a single public high school, Cairo High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 in the Grady County school district with a substantial enrollment of 1,317 students.
Cairo High School is a school on the rise. Its state ranking has improved for three consecutive years, moving from the 44th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 51st percentile in 2025-2026. This upward trend is notable because, while proficiency rates in most subjects remain below state averages, the school is clearly making faster progress than many others across Georgia. The school's standout strengths are student retention and attendance. Its graduation rate of 90.3% exceeds the state average of 87.2%, and its dropout rate of 1.3% is nearly half the state's 2.4%. Additionally, chronic absenteeism sits at 14.7%, which is better than both the district (14.9%) and state (17.7%) averages. These metrics are particularly impressive given that nearly 90% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school has effective support systems in place to keep students engaged despite significant socioeconomic challenges.
Academically, the picture is mixed. In the most recent testing year, Algebra I proficiency (48.4%) essentially matched the state average (48.1%), and it showed a strong 7-point jump from the prior year. However, Biology (43.3%) and especially United States History (25.8%) lag behind state averages, with the history gap exceeding 12 percentage points. This stark contrast between subjects suggests a potential area for instructional focus. The school operates with a student-teacher ratio of 16.6:1 and spends $10,266 per student. For parents, the key takeaway is that Cairo High School excels at keeping students in school and on track to graduate, while its improving rankings and strong math gains signal positive momentum worth watching.
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