Palmer Middle School

Q: Is Palmer Middle School a good school?

Palmer Middle School ranks 164 th of 588 Georgia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Palmer Middle School is a public middle school located in Kennesaw, Georgia, serving 828 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Cobb County School District, which is ranked 52 out of 203 districts in Georgia and is rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Palmer Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Georgia, with a statewide ranking between 77 and 164 over the past 10 years. The school's performance on the Milestones Assessment is particularly strong, with significantly higher proficiency rates compared to the Cobb County and Georgia averages across multiple subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Palmer Middle School had an 83.7% proficiency rate in Algebra I, compared to 55.8% for Cobb County and 44% for Georgia. Additionally, the school serves a more economically diverse student population, with a relatively high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients ranging from 39.43% to 45.89% over the past few years.

When compared to nearby middle schools in the Cobb County district, Palmer Middle School generally outperforms them on academic measures, such as Milestones Assessment proficiency rates. However, some nearby schools, such as Mabry Middle School and Simpson Middle School, have even higher academic performance, with proficiency rates exceeding 70% in several subjects. Despite this, Palmer Middle School has maintained a consistent high performance over the past 10 years, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and a statewide ranking that has remained in the top 30% of Georgia middle schools.

Detail:

Public 6-8

690 N Booth Rd NW
Kennesaw, GA 30144

(770) 591-5020

District: Cobb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
164^th of 588 Georgia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,973

Students who attend Palmer Middle School usually attend:

High:

North Cobb High School

Feeder schools for Palmer Middle School:

Elementary:

Pitner Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 776

Racial breakdown:

White:

36.5%

African American:

27.8%

Hispanic:

22.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.2%

See top rated Georgia middle schools

Compare Palmer Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Palmer Middle School ranks better than 72.1% of middle schools in Georgia. It also ranks 12^th among 25 ranked middle schools in the Cobb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.28. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Palmer Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (36.5%), African American (27.8%), Hispanic (22.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 57.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palmer Middle School is 14.4, which is the 7^th best among 25 middle schools in the Cobb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Palmer Middle School employs 53.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palmer Middle School is $8,973, which is the 10^th highest among 25 middle schools in the Cobb County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Palmer Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Palmer Middle School 164^th of 588 Georgia public middle schools. (See Palmer Middle School in the ranking list.)

Cobb County:

SchoolDigger ranks Cobb County 52^nd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Palmer Middle School.

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Rank History for Palmer Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	81.20	49^th	420	88.3%
2007	78.41	57^th	445	87.2%
2008	83.33	46^th	462	90.0%
2009	81.89	50^th	466	89.3%
2010	75.17	93^rd	494	81.2%
2011	72.33	125^th	504	75.2%
2012	73.40	116^th	508	77.2%
2013	71.55	135^th	527	74.4%
2014	73.52	111^th	521	78.7%
2015	71.34	125^th	537	76.7%
2016	69.75	136^th	545	75.0%
2017	81.79	78^th	539	85.5%
2018	83.08	77^th	543	85.8%
2019	82.27	89^th	559	84.1%
2021	74.99	114^th	542	79.0%
2022	74.82	124^th	567	78.1%
2023	64.65	170^th	577	70.5%
2024	67.28	164^th	588	72.1%

See the entire list of Georgia Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.5)

25%

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, January 31, 2014

Great school! Much improved under new principal and administration. They involve the parents and community. They care about your students and celebrate them on a regular basis. Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, January 19, 2013

The prior review on 11/12 is dead on. Poorly run and quite often the student's best interest is overlooked. The principal seems inexperienced and doesn't have the necessary skills needed to be in charge. Very disappointing. Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, November 17, 2012

Administration & teachers unwilling to help students that need help. Some teachers are downright nasty. Principal is useless. Very poor school & learning environment. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Palmer Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	909	226	59	69	9	n/a	n/a	0	1272
2003	909	226	59	69	9	n/a	n/a	0	1272
2004	904	245	54	81	8	n/a	n/a	0	1292
2005	807	245	53	92	5	n/a	n/a	49	1251
2006	725	273	45	97	5	n/a	n/a	51	1196
2007	635	291	53	112	3	n/a	n/a	63	1157
2008	601	261	46	118	3	n/a	n/a	59	1088
2009	592	260	55	108	2	n/a	n/a	59	1076
2010	604	286	50	130	6	0	0	0	1076
2011	546	288	36	118	3	0	53	0	1044
2012	525	268	32	124	0	0	50	0	999
2013	508	258	29	121	0	1	40	0	957
2014	505	249	42	150	2	1	47	0	996
2015	500	272	42	156	2	4	54	0	1030
2016	469	266	42	174	6	4	58	0	1019
2017	422	245	36	175	3	2	48	0	931
2018	413	253	37	179	3	1	37	0	923
2019	381	258	32	180	3	0	44	0	898
2020	355	256	37	206	5	0	43	0	902
2021	332	253	36	196	1	0	57	0	875
2022	309	241	30	209	3	0	64	0	856
2023	294	232	33	193	3	0	73	0	828
2024	283	216	26	176	4	3	68	0	776

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Palmer Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	1272	77.7	16.4	16.9
2003	1272	77.7	16.4	16.9
2004	1292	79.4	16.3	19.8
2005	1251	80.0	15.6	22.6
2006	1196	75.1	15.9	25.9
2007	1157	76.6	15.1	29.1
2008	1088	76.0	14.3	29.2
2009	1076	78.0	13.8	33.5
2010	1076	73.0	14.7	37.2
2011	1044	63.0	16.5	38.3
2012	999	62.0	16.1	39.2
2013	957	57.6	16.6	40.9
2014	996	55.5	17.9	40.4
2015	1030	56.0	18.3	42.1
2016	1019	60.0	16.9	44.1
2017	931	60.5	15.3	42.9
2018	923	55.5	16.6	38.5
2019	898	55.2	16.2	41.8
2020	902	54.2	16.6	38.6
2021	875	55.4	15.7	39.4
2022	856	54.8	15.6	n/a
2023	828	53.2	15.5	45.9
2024	776	53.7	14.4	57.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Palmer Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	1272	77.7	16.4	16.9
2003	1272	77.7	16.4	16.9
2004	1292	79.4	16.3	19.8
2005	1251	80.0	15.6	22.6
2006	1196	75.1	15.9	25.9
2007	1157	76.6	15.1	29.1
2008	1088	76.0	14.3	29.2
2009	1076	78.0	13.8	33.5
2010	1076	73.0	14.7	37.2
2011	1044	63.0	16.5	38.3
2012	999	62.0	16.1	39.2
2013	957	57.6	16.6	40.9
2014	996	55.5	17.9	40.4
2015	1030	56.0	18.3	42.1
2016	1019	60.0	16.9	44.1
2017	931	60.5	15.3	42.9
2018	923	55.5	16.6	38.5
2019	898	55.2	16.2	41.8
2020	902	54.2	16.6	38.6
2021	875	55.4	15.7	39.4
2022	856	54.8	15.6	n/a
2023	828	53.2	15.5	45.9
2024	776	53.7	14.4	57.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Palmer Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$243 (2.9%)	$8,243 (97.1%)	$8,486
2018	$287 (3.4%)	$8,246 (96.6%)	$8,534
2019	$232 (2.6%)	$8,741 (97.4%)	$8,973

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmer Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 89^th of 559 Middle schools	Ranks 170^th of 577 Middle schools	13.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Palmer Middle School)	58.7	44.7	14%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Cobb County)	56.9	50.6	6.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	46	39.2	6.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Palmer Middle School)	49.5	28.7	20.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	54	43.2	10.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	40	32.9	7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Palmer Middle School)	45.3	53.3	8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Cobb County)	48.5	51.5	3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	39	39.1	0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Palmer Middle School)	65.9	40.2	25.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	54.9	44.8	10.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	43	34.9	8.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Palmer Middle School)	60.3	49.7	10.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Cobb County)	58.6	51.2	7.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	47	42.1	4.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Palmer Middle School)	63.6	46.3	17.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	47.3	44.8	2.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	35	36.2	1.2%
8th Grade Science (Palmer Middle School)	55.1	22	33.1%
8th Grade Science (Cobb County)	41.3	30.6	10.7%
8th Grade Science (Georgia)	32	26.4	5.6%
8th Grade Social Studies (Palmer Middle School)	53.6	33.7	19.9%
8th Grade Social Studies (Cobb County)	51	44.5	6.5%
8th Grade Social Studies (Georgia)	41	35.9	5.1%
End of Course Algebra I (Palmer Middle School)	100	97.7	2.3%
End of Course Algebra I (Cobb County)	54.2	46.6	7.6%
End of Course Algebra I (Georgia)	41.1	35.8	5.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	898	828	7.8%
African American	258	232	10.1%
American Indian	3	3
Asian	32	33	3.1%
Hispanic	180	193	7.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	381	294	22.8%
Two or More Races	44	73	65.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.8%	45.9%	4.1%

Schools Near Palmer Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2024)	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)			Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)			Milestones Assessment Science (2024)	Milestones Assessment Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Palmer Middle School	Public	6-8	690 N Booth Rd NW	Kennesaw	30144	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 591-5020	776	54	14.4	57.2%	283 (36.5%)	216 (27.8%)	176 (22.7%)	26 (3.4%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.4%)	68 (8.8%)	67.3	164^th of 588 public middle schools	72.1%		64.7	170^th of 577 public middle schools	70.5%	6	83.7	50.6	34.5	55.4	40.4	36.4	60.0	25.0	48.1	$8,973	$232	$8,741
Daniell Middle School	Public	6-8	2900 Scott Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8048	894	57	15.7	62.1%	225 (25.2%)	278 (31.1%)	268 (30.0%)	78 (8.7%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (4.6%)	63.1	187^th of 588 public middle schools	68.2%		64.1	174^th of 577 public middle schools	69.8%	13	94.6	48.9	38.9	47.8	42.4	48.2	44.8	27.4	35.7	$8,151	$354	$7,797
McCleskey Middle School	Public	6-8	4080 Maybreeze Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 928-5560	551	44	12.4	48.3%	283 (51.4%)	87 (15.8%)	136 (24.7%)	13 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.8%)	78.6	109^th of 588 public middle schools	81.5%		74.2	126^th of 577 public middle schools	78.2%	17	100.0	62.0	50.6	59.0	51.2	53.2	53.2		39.4	$9,997	$193	$9,804
Woodstock Middle School	Public	6-8	2000 Towne Lake Hills South Dr	Woodstock	30189	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	No	(770) 721-3060	1,083	75	14.5	42.2%	502 (46.4%)	161 (14.9%)	305 (28.2%)	33 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (7.6%)	66.1	171^st of 588 public middle schools	70.9%		68.7	151^st of 577 public middle schools	73.8%	20	98.5	43.6	43.4	52.2	42.4	39.7	58.8	28.3	37.5	$8,417	$157	$8,260
Awtrey Middle School	Public	6-8	3601 Nowlin Rd NW	Kennesaw	30144	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 975-6615	643	43	15.0	51.6%	188 (29.2%)	234 (36.4%)	143 (22.2%)	25 (3.9%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	47 (7.3%)	59	214^th of 588 public middle schools	63.6%		59.4	205^th of 577 public middle schools	64.5%	9	91.7	48.7	38.9	48.2	44.2	42.9	37.9	10.7	41.8	$9,629	$270	$9,360
E. T. Booth Middle School	Public	6-8	6550 Putnam Ford Dr	Woodstock	30189	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	No	(770) 721-5500	1,638	108	15.1	41.7%	861 (52.6%)	203 (12.4%)	406 (24.8%)	66 (4.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	99 (6.0%)	72.2	138^th of 588 public middle schools	76.5%		61.5	196^th of 577 public middle schools	66.0%	58	93.0	51.2	48.8	48.6	46.4	51.8	51.0	24.8	49.0	$8,065	$180	$7,885
Barber Middle School	Public	6-8	4222 Cantrell Rd NW	Acworth	30101	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 975-6764	832	52	16.0	65.5%	215 (25.8%)	326 (39.2%)	195 (23.4%)	33 (4.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (7.5%)	56	236^th of 588 public middle schools	59.9%		52.2	251^st of 577 public middle schools	56.5%	15	80.0	57.7	39.0	48.1	43.4	35.3	34.6	23.8	25.5	$9,330	$491	$8,840
Simpson Middle School	Public	6-8	3340 Trickum Rd NE	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 971-4711	884	56	15.7	23.1%	491 (55.5%)	112 (12.7%)	122 (13.8%)	111 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	46 (5.2%)	95.9	29^th of 588 public middle schools	95.1%		95.6	28^th of 577 public middle schools	95.1%	1	96.0	76.3	65.1	73.6	62.8	65.1	75.5	54.8	76.5	$9,128	$266	$8,862
Mabry Middle School	Public	6-8	2700 Jims Rd NE	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 928-5546	918	59	15.5	15.4%	613 (66.8%)	67 (7.3%)	109 (11.9%)	81 (8.8%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (4.7%)	96	27^th of 588 public middle schools	95.4%		97.7	14^th of 577 public middle schools	97.6%	13	100.0	71.1	76.6	72.8	72.2	71.1	75.5	44.3	66.4	$8,559	$191	$8,368
Pine Mountain Middle School	Public	6-8	2720 Pine Mountain Cir NW	Kennesaw	30152	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8252	545	43	12.7	56.7%	150 (27.5%)	220 (40.4%)	108 (19.8%)	34 (6.2%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	28 (5.1%)	72	139^th of 588 public middle schools	76.4%		64.2	173^rd of 577 public middle schools	70.0%	34	100.0	51.4	47.0	59.3	41.7	50.6	54.8	21.5	45.2	$9,074	$449	$8,625

Frequently Asked Questions about Palmer Middle School

How many students attend Palmer Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 776 students attended Palmer Middle School.

What district is Palmer Middle School in?

Cobb County

What high school do graduates of Palmer Middle School attend?

Students who attend Palmer Middle School usually go on to attend North Cobb High School

What is the racial makeup of Palmer Middle School?

Students at Palmer Middle School are 36% White, 28% African American, 23% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Is Palmer Middle School a good school?

Palmer Middle School ranks 164^th of 588 Georgia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.