Chestnut Log Middle School, Douglasville GA

Original Research by School Decision on Chestnut Log Middle School

Chestnut Log Middle School serves grades six through eight in Douglasville, a mixed-use suburban city about twenty miles west of Atlanta that combines a preserved historic downtown with commercial strips and residential subdivisions. The school's student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with a large share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is small to moderate for a middle school in its grade band.

Academic performance across the school is low. State testing data from the most recent year shows proficiency rates in the low to mid-range across tested subjects. In English language arts, about a quarter of students in grades six and seven met proficiency standards, rising slightly to roughly a third in grade eight. In mathematics, the pattern is similar: about a sixth of sixth graders met standards, increasing to about a fifth in seventh grade and roughly a quarter by eighth grade. Science proficiency in grade eight was around a quarter, and social studies proficiency in the same grade was roughly a quarter as well. Taken together, the overall proficiency index across all tested grades and subjects places the school below the midpoint relative to other districts in Douglas County.

Only one year of data is available, so trends over time cannot be assessed. A parent may want to look into further detail on what academic support and intervention structures the school has in place, especially in mathematics where the proficiency numbers are lower.

The school sits within Douglas County, where voters approved a continuing education sales tax (ESPLOST VII) in November 2024 that funds capital improvements without raising property taxes. The district is undertaking a major replacement of Lithia Springs High School, funded by these bonds and built in phases so students remain on site. In August 2025 the board cut its millage rate for the tenth consecutive year, though rising property assessments mean the average homeowner will still see a modest tax increase. This pattern of rate cuts paired with assessment growth is a recurring factor in housing cost decisions for families entering the county.

Housing in the Douglasville area is moderately affordable relative to national benchmarks. The median home value in the area is somewhat below the state average, and monthly mortgage payments, under current interest rates and with typical down payments, are manageable. Rent-to-income ratios are also reasonable. The city itself is experiencing clear growth: population has risen significantly over the past two decades, with substantial new single-family and multi-family development underway in communities like The Reserve at Chapel Hill, Estates at Hurricane Pointe, and Palmer Falls. Civic anchors include a walkable historic downtown with specialty retail and restaurants, plus Jessie Davis Park (recently renovated with a pool), regional trail access via the Silver Comet Trail, and nearby state parks and nature preserves. Public transit options are unusual for a suburb at this distance from Atlanta; local bus service and park-and-ride connections to Atlanta operate from the Douglas County Multimodal Transportation Center. The broader area economy is anchored by healthcare (WellStar Douglas Hospital), the school system itself as a major employer, retail, warehousing, and growing investment in advanced manufacturing and data centers, including Amazon Web Services and Lionsgate Studios facilities.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 25% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 721%

School 21% · District 28% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 36% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 626%

School 26% · District 35% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 727%

School 27% · District 36% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 35% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median

Science

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 35% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 823%

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

▼ 8 pts below state median

This schoolDouglas 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-income24%Higher-income44%20 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income28%Higher-income42%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income26%Higher-income37%11 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income26%Higher-income41%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income16%Higher-income26%11 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income15%Higher-income39%23 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income20%Higher-income40%20 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income17%Higher-income36%19 pp gap