Burke County

The schools in Burke County, Georgia serve students from elementary through high school, with 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school in the district. While the schools in Burke County generally perform below the state average on standardized tests, one elementary school, S G A Elementary School, stands out with stronger academic performance, particularly in math, where 62.8% of 3rd graders were proficient or better, compared to the district average of 34.8%.

Despite the academic challenges faced by the district, Burke County High School has a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 85.4%, indicating that the school is able to support students in completing their high school education. However, the district as a whole faces systemic challenges, with all schools serving a population with significant economic disadvantage, as evidenced by 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

The variation in performance between the elementary schools suggests that there may be effective practices or resources at S G A Elementary School that could be replicated at the other schools in the district to improve overall academic outcomes. Addressing the economic challenges faced by the community and leveraging the successes of the high-performing elementary school could be key strategies for the Burke County school district to improve student achievement.