Pearson Middle School, Marietta GA

Original Research by School Decision on Pearson Middle School

Pearson Middle School serves grades six through eight in Marietta, a mid-sized Cobb County city with a historic downtown core and surrounding suburban neighborhoods. The school enrolls about a proportional spread of students across the three grades, with a predominant Hispanic student population and a very large share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The racial and economic composition reflects neighborhoods that are less affluent relative to countywide averages in Cobb County.

The most direct picture comes from recent state testing results. In mathematics, proficiency is notably low across all three grades, with only a small fraction of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders demonstrating proficiency on the state assessment. In English language arts, results range from low in sixth grade to slightly higher in seventh grade, though all grades remain well below typical district benchmarks. Science proficiency in eighth grade is quite low, as is social studies proficiency. Across all tested subjects and grades, Pearson's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's districts. When a parent looks at these test numbers, they should understand that this represents a school in academic transition or difficulty; whether Pearson has a turnaround plan, what instructional changes are underway, or what supports exist for struggling students would be important questions to ask the school directly.

The school appears to serve a student population with considerable academic need. No data on special education enrollment or English learner status was available in the state records, so parents of students with those needs may want to contact Pearson directly to learn about the scope of those programs. The absence of this information is common in middle school reporting but should not be read as an indicator that services are weak; rather, it signals a gap in public data.

Marietta itself is anchored by aerospace and defense employment (Lockheed Martin), healthcare (Wellstar), and public-sector work. The downtown has seen recent mixed-use revitalization and hosts a farmers market and regular community events around Marietta Square. Housing in the area is moderately priced relative to the state and national benchmarks, with median home values near the state average and rental costs reflecting typical suburban-metro economics. A large residential development recently broke ground north of downtown. For families considering Pearson, Marietta offers stable employment anchors and a mix of older, established neighborhoods alongside new construction, typical of suburban Atlanta growth corridors.

Whether Pearson is the right fit depends partly on what services or programming a family needs, but the testing data indicates this is a school where students are currently underperforming on state measures. Parents should have a direct conversation with school leadership about what academic supports, tutoring, or intervention programs exist, what the school's improvement plan entails, and whether the school's educational approach aligns with their child's learning needs. For families in the Marietta area without other school options, understanding what help is available within Pearson becomes especially important.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 618%

School 18% · District 45% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 714%

School 14% · District 50% · ▼ 35 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 55% · ▼ 40 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 620%

School 20% · District 51% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 727%

School 27% · District 51% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 48% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Science

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 34% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 816%

School 16% · District 49% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below 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-income23%Higher-income42%19 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income18%Higher-income19%1 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income29%Higher-income37%7 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income24%Higher-income32%8 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income16%Higher-income17%1 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income10%Higher-income19%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income17%Higher-income32%15 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income14%Higher-income23%9 pp gap