Central Middle School, Carrollton GA

Original Research by School Decision on Central Middle School

Central Middle School serves the three grades of middle school—sixth through eighth—in Carrollton, a county seat about 45 to 50 miles west of Atlanta that functions as a regional hub for education, health care, and business. The school enrolls a moderate-sized cohort drawn from the broader Carroll County area.

The school's student body reflects the demographics of the region: the plurality are white students, with meaningful representation of Hispanic and Black students, and a smaller Asian population. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which carries implications for family income levels and support needs across the enrollment.

On state end-of-grade assessments, Central Middle's proficiency picture is mixed. In math, the school's overall performance sits above the middle point among Carroll County's other districts. Sixth grade shows stronger performance than the higher grades, with seventh grade marking the lowest point in the math sequence. English language arts performance is weaker, with overall proficiency below the county median and a consistent decline from sixth to eighth grade. Eighth-grade science proficiency sits near the county midpoint, and social studies, also assessed only in eighth grade, is slightly above the county median. The pattern suggests that math remains the school's stronger area while reading and writing proficiency warrant attention, particularly in the upper middle grades.

Trend data is limited to a single year, so whether these results represent a stable baseline or a point in a larger trajectory is not yet clear from the available information. State assessment reporting practices mean that science and social studies are tested only in eighth grade, so sixth and seventh grade results in those subjects are not available. A parent may want to look into the school's approach to early intervention in reading and the supports available for students not yet proficient in English language arts, especially as students progress through the middle years.

Carrollton itself is experiencing residential growth as it is drawn into the Atlanta metropolitan region. New single-family subdivisions, townhome communities, and workforce-housing developments are under way or recently completed on the city's outskirts. The local market shows housing values and rental costs below state and national benchmarks, though renters are often cost-burdened. Downtown Carrollton, centered on the historic Adamson Square, remains walkable with shops, galleries, restaurants, and civic activity, though the city overall is car-dependent. An 18-mile paved GreenBelt loop provides a major recreation and transportation spine.

The Carroll County Schools district benefits from a sustained funding source through a voter-approved education sales tax reauthorized in a 2025 referendum, which is projected to fund classroom additions, renovations, and capital projects across the district without raising property taxes. The board has also lowered the school portion of property tax millage rates repeatedly in recent years, a material factor for families weighing housing and education costs in the area.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 667%

School 67% · District 47% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median

Grade 760%

School 60% · District 46% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median

Grade 865%

School 65% · District 49% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 654%

School 54% · District 42% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median

Grade 750%

School 50% · District 40% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median

Grade 847%

School 47% · District 39% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median

Science

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 34% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 853%

School 53% · District 41% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median

This schoolCarroll 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-income33%Higher-income66%33 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income41%Higher-income73%32 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income44%Higher-income71%26 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income39%Higher-income70%30 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income47%Higher-income77%30 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income39%Higher-income76%37 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income55%Higher-income82%27 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income47%Higher-income78%31 pp gap