Mt. Zion Middle School, Carrollton GA

Original Research by School Decision on Mt. Zion Middle School

Mt. Zion Middle School serves a middle-grades population in Carrollton, a county seat about 45 to 50 miles west of Atlanta that functions as a regional educational and economic hub for west Georgia and east Alabama. The school enrolled a modest number of students across grades six through eight, with more than three-quarters of the student body qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The racial and ethnic composition is predominantly white, with Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students making up the remainder. State assessment data for the school year ending in 2025 is available and shows performance that warrants careful review.

In both English language arts and math, Mt. Zion's proficiency rates sit substantially below the midpoint for districts in Carroll County. Across all grades tested in ELA, proficiency stood in the low-to-mid range; math proficiency was similarly modest, declining as students progressed from grade six to grade eight. The school's eighth-grade science proficiency was notably low. Eighth-grade social studies proficiency was somewhat stronger by comparison. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Carroll County.

A parent considering Mt. Zion may want to look into the school's approach to math instruction and remediation, particularly the downward trajectory from sixth to eighth grade. The science proficiency result is especially low and may warrant a conversation with school leadership about curriculum, resources, and instructional support in that subject. Data on special education enrollment and English learner populations were not available, so prospective families with students in those categories should inquire directly with the school about available services and class composition.

Carrollton itself is a small city with a walkable downtown around Adamson Square, home to shops, galleries, and restaurants, and anchored by the University of West Georgia. The broader area is car-dependent, though an 18-mile paved greenway loop provides an accessible walking and biking spine. The city is growing, with multiple residential subdivisions under development and a focus on downtown revitalization. Housing values are below the state benchmark, and rents remain moderate, though publicly reported data indicates that more than half of Carrollton renters are cost-burdened.

Carroll County Schools recently passed a continued sales tax referendum to fund school capital projects, and the board has reduced property tax millage rates five times since an earlier year, meaningfully lowering the school portion of property tax bills for homeowners. The school operates within the county district system, not as an independent city school system.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 47% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median

Grade 735%

School 35% · District 46% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 49% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 633%

School 33% · District 42% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Grade 731%

School 31% · District 40% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median

Grade 832%

School 32% · District 39% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Science

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 34% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median

Social studies

Grade 842%

School 42% · District 41% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 11 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-income31%Higher-income50%19 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income22%Higher-income44%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income30%Higher-income48%18 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income28%Higher-income47%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income25%Higher-income60%35 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income21%Higher-income41%20 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income22%Higher-income52%31 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income23%Higher-income50%27 pp gap