The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Social studies. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on William James Middle School
William James Middle School serves grades six through eight in Statesboro, a college-town setting anchored by Georgia Southern University. The school enrolls a student body that is majority Black, with a substantial share from low-income households. In academic performance on Georgia's end-of-grade tests, the school shows weak proficiency across tested subjects. In math, sixth and seventh graders are below where the eighth grade lands; eighth-grade math proficiency is notably stronger, rising to a higher rate than in the two grades below. English language arts follows a similar pattern, with sixth grade at its lowest and eighth grade climbing. Eighth-grade science proficiency sits below the midpoint, and social studies is among the school's stronger areas. Across all tested grades and subjects combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the three districts in Bulloch County, though the absolute numbers remain modest. A parent may want to look into further detail with the school about what support structures are in place for students in the lower-proficiency grades and what interventions, if any, are showing results in the eighth-grade gains.
The school sits on US Highway 80 West, away from downtown Statesboro's walkable core. The surrounding area is car-dependent, though the city itself is growing rapidly. Major announcements about the Hyundai Metaplant in nearby Bryan County have spurred residential development throughout Statesboro and Bulloch County, with developers laying plans for significant new housing stock. Home values in the zip code are below the state median and rents are similarly moderate, making the area relatively affordable by regional standards. Property tax rates, however, have shifted; the county school board raised the millage rate in August 2025, a lasting change that affects any family buying into the area. Additionally, Bulloch County Schools voters approved a major capital referendum in November 2025 that includes a planned new high school and feeder-school reconfiguration, signaling sustained facility investment and growth planning.
Bulloch County Schools has rolled out new state mathematics standards and is implementing a Science of Reading-based literacy framework mandated by recent Georgia law, with structured teacher training supporting both changes. These are district-wide shifts in how core subjects are taught.
William James sits within a school district of modest size serving a growing community in transition. The school itself is small to mid-sized for a middle school, with relatively balanced enrollment across its three grades. Civil-rights data on special populations, such as students with individualized education programs or English learners, were not available. A parent considering this school should understand that it operates in a context of academic improvement work and community growth, serving a student population with significant economic need. The state testing picture suggests particular attention to sixth and seventh-grade math and reading, where proficiency is lowest, though the eighth-grade jump merits conversation with the school about what shifts in instruction or support occur in that final year.
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