Awtrey Middle School, Kennesaw GA

Original Research by School Decision on Awtrey Middle School

Awtrey Middle School serves grades six through eight in Kennesaw as part of Cobb County Schools. The school enrolls a diverse student body of roughly mid-sized middle school proportions, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is split across three grades at roughly equal distribution, with the student body comprising a mix of Black, white, and Hispanic students, along with smaller Asian and multiracial populations.

On state testing, Awtrey's proficiency results show a school working below where county peers typically perform. In English language arts across all grades, proficiency sits in the low-to-mid range, with sixth grade performing somewhat better than seventh and eighth grades. Mathematics proficiency is lower, especially troubling in grade six where fewer than half of students meet proficiency standards, with performance improving modestly by eighth grade. In social studies, proficiency is just above the midpoint. Science proficiency at the eighth grade is notably low, which a parent may want to look into further with the school to understand whether this reflects curriculum, instruction, recent changes, or assessment factors.

Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among Cobb County's district schools. This positioning reflects a school where many students are not yet reaching grade-level standards in core academic areas, especially in mathematics and science. The earlier grades in particular show concerning gaps in math.

Kennesaw itself is a growing, mixed-character suburb northwest of Atlanta. The city pairs a compact, walkable historic downtown centered on Main Street and Depot Park with sprawling residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. Housing consists mostly of detached single-family homes, with substantial townhouse and multifamily development. The area has grown steadily and remains one of Cobb County's fastest-growing small cities. Kennesaw State University anchors the region as the dominant employer, and the area supports a diverse industrial and logistics base along with significant healthcare presence through Wellstar. The housing market reflects suburban demand, with median home values in the mid-to-upper range and rents moderate for the metro area. Most daily life is car-dependent outside the small downtown core, though the city is investing in pedestrian improvements and interconnected downtown developments.

Awtrey's academic profile suggests this is a school where students are still developing foundational skills in core subjects. Families should view this as a setting where close attention to mathematics and science support, whether through school resources or supplemental help, would be important. The school sits within a growing suburban community with solid employment and service infrastructure, and serves a student population that includes many families with economic constraints.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 636%

School 36% · District 45% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 740%

School 40% · District 50% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 845%

School 45% · District 55% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 51% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 739%

School 39% · District 51% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 48% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 817%

School 17% · District 34% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 49% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

This schoolCobb 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-income38%Higher-income64%26 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income27%Higher-income49%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income35%Higher-income62%27 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income34%Higher-income58%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income35%Higher-income58%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income54%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income30%Higher-income46%16 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income32%Higher-income52%20 pp gap