Lyerly Elementary School, Lyerly GA

Original Research by School Decision on Lyerly Elementary School

Lyerly Elementary serves grades pre-K through eight in a very small, predominantly residential town in northwest Georgia's Chattooga County. The school sits embedded within the town's residential street grid rather than on a separated campus; it is a walkable anchor for the community and has been part of Lyerly for decades.

The school enrolls a small population of students, with the largest grade groups in the middle school band. About four in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic pressures across the area. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller representations of Hispanic students, students identifying as two or more races, and Black students. Data on special education enrollment and English learner populations were not available.

State testing results from the most recent year show proficiency rates well below what would typically be considered strong across subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, third-grade students posted modest results; fourth grade performed substantially lower; fifth grade recovered somewhat; and performance improved notably in grades six through eight. Math proficiency was quite low in grades three through five, then rose considerably in the middle grades. Science proficiency in fifth grade was below overall school averages, though eighth grade showed stronger results. Social studies results for eighth grade fell in the low range.

The pattern across grades reveals a pronounced dip in proficiency for fourth and fifth graders, particularly in English language arts, where fourth-grade results fell especially low. The middle school grades (six through eight) generally outperform the upper elementary grades, suggesting the school may be more effective with older students or that specific grade bands face particular challenges. No prior-year data was available to assess whether this is a recent shift or a persistent pattern; a parent may want to look into this further with the school.

The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint among the two districts in Chattooga County, meaning it performs better on state testing than the county's other tested school entity, though no information was provided comparing it to schools beyond the county.

Lyerly town itself is experiencing little growth, with a flat to slightly declining population and minimal new housing development. The local economy is built on blue-collar work in nearby manufacturing facilities, particularly textile mills and flooring production in surrounding communities. Housing values are well below the national average and remain relatively affordable. The property tax millage rate increased substantially in 2023, raising the cost of school funding for homeowners.

The school operates in a rural, economically constrained context. Its academic performance in the early-to-mid elementary grades presents a genuine concern that parents should investigate directly with school leadership, including questions about what specific interventions or resources are in place for struggling learners in those grade bands. The strength in middle school performance and above-county positioning are points worth understanding more fully.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 328%

School 28% · District 27% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 22% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 18% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 36% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median

Grade 747%

School 47% · District 31% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 28% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 18% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 47%

School 7% · District 16% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 23% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 27% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 739%

School 39% · District 27% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 21% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median

Science

Grade 532%

School 32% · District 32% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 24% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 20% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median

This schoolChattooga 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 7Lower-income25%Higher-income40%15 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income30%Higher-income37%7 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income40%11 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income26%Higher-income37%11 pp gap