Summary:
Zip code 39846 in Edison, Georgia, is served by four schools—Pataula Charter Academy, Calhoun County Elementary School, Calhoun County Middle School, and Calhoun County High School—which together educate about 1,021 students from pre-K through 12th grade. This is a high-need area, with three of the four schools reporting 100% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, and the high school at 89%.
The standout performer is Pataula Charter Academy, an alternative school that serves more than half of the zip code’s students. It leads the area with a 95% graduation rate, the lowest chronic absenteeism (14.5%), and the best student-teacher ratio (13.5:1). Pataula also posts the strongest test scores, beating state averages in 4th, 6th, and 7th grade math. In contrast, the three Calhoun County schools struggle more academically. Calhoun County Elementary School is a bright spot, with 5th grade science proficiency (51.7%) exceeding the state (44.2%) and a ranking that jumped from the 20th to 46th percentile in three years. Calhoun County High School graduates 91.5% of students, above the state average, but trails significantly on End-of-Course exams, especially Biology (19.4% vs. 47.2% state). Calhoun County Middle School is the most concerning, with 8th grade social studies at just 10.3% versus 40.2% statewide, despite spending the most per student ($22,910).
Encouragingly, all three Calhoun County schools have improved their rankings each year for three straight years, suggesting district initiatives are gaining traction. However, chronic absenteeism exceeds the state rate at the elementary (20.3%) and high school (20.0%) levels, and test scores show year-to-year volatility due to small class sizes. Pataula’s success with lower spending ($14,364 per student) compared to the Calhoun schools ($19,988–$22,910) raises questions about resource efficiency, but the overall upward momentum across the district offers cautious optimism for families.
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