Bryan County Middle School, Pembroke GA

Original Research by School Decision on Bryan County Middle School

Bryan County Middle School serves about the span of a middle grade cohort, with roughly balanced enrollment across grades six through eight. The school sits in Pembroke, a small county-seat city in north Bryan County that has long been stable but is now experiencing early-stage growth pressures from the nearby Hyundai Metaplant, which has become by far the region's largest employer. Housing values in the Pembroke area are below state and national benchmarks, and a substantial share of students at the school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a student population with significant economic need.

The school's state testing results show proficiency rates that fall in the lower range. In math, students across all grades average proficiency near one-third, with sixth graders performing somewhat better than seventh graders, then improving again by eighth grade. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: sixth-grade proficiency outpaces seventh grade by a noticeable margin, with eighth-grade performance climbing back to a level near sixth grade. Science and social studies, tested only at eighth grade, show proficiency at similar modest levels. This performance picture suggests the school is working with students who come to middle school with uneven preparation in core academics, and the middle-grade span is not yet closing that gap decisively.

No data on trend lines across multiple years is available, so it is unclear whether these results represent a stable state, a declining trajectory, or early stages of improvement. The school's only reported assessment data comes from the most recent school year. The school does not have comparable district or county benchmarks readily available from the data provided; Bryan County operates as a small rural district, and the comparison data did not generate meaningful peer context. A parent may want to discuss with the school directly what interventions or support structures are in place to address the proficiency gaps, particularly in mathematics.

The student population is predominantly White, with a substantial African American minority and smaller Hispanic and multiracial populations. The school's free-and-reduced-price-lunch rate reflects economic hardship for roughly three-quarters of the student body. Special education and English learner enrollment figures were not provided.

Bryan County is navigating rapid change. A newly opened high school in the fast-growing southern part of the county has absorbed some capacity, but voters rejected a capital referendum in March 2025 by a razor-thin margin, leaving the district's longer-term construction and expansion plans uncertain. The county recently opted in to Georgia's Floating Homestead Exemption, which caps annual school property tax increases at inflation, a decision that will shape the district's revenue trajectory for families considering a home purchase.

Pembroke itself offers a small-town environment with a compact, walkable historic downtown centered on the courthouse and Main Street, but beyond that core the city is car-oriented and low-density. The town has not reported fixed-route public transit. Regional connectivity comes via state highways and a freight rail line that historically founded the place. The community is in active dialogue with Georgia Tech on planning for infrastructure and housing to manage the growth wave the Metaplant is expected to bring. For a family weighing Bryan County Middle School, the educational picture is one of genuine academic challenge; the community context is one of economic pressure, modest resources, and a small town in the midst of managing growth it did not anticipate.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 634%

School 34% · District 55% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median

Grade 726%

School 26% · District 51% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 61% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 57% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 727%

School 27% · District 53% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 55% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 2 pts below state median

Science

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 39% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 10 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 57% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median

This schoolBryan County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income32%Higher-income43%12 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income26%Higher-income48%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income35%Higher-income49%13 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income31%Higher-income47%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income26%Higher-income50%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income55%23 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income34%Higher-income58%23 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income31%Higher-income54%24 pp gap