Echols County

Echols County, Georgia is home to two schools - Echols County Elementary/Middle School and Echols County High School. While the high school stands out as a strong performer, the elementary/middle school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking in recent years.

Echols County High School boasts a higher statewide ranking, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and outperforming the state average on several end-of-course assessments. The school has an impressive 96.0% four-year graduation rate. In contrast, Echols County Elementary/Middle School has seen its statewide ranking drop from 479 out of 1,244 schools in 2021-2022 to 712 out of 1,248 in 2023-2024, with a corresponding decrease in its SchoolDigger rating from 3 stars to 2 stars.

Both schools in the Echols County district face significant challenges, with over 84% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This high poverty level likely plays a role in the academic performance of the schools. Examining the distribution of funding and resources across the district could provide insights into how to better support the earlier grades and address the performance gaps observed between the elementary/middle school and the high school.