North Forsyth Middle School, Cumming GA

Original Research by School Decision on North Forsyth Middle School

North Forsyth Middle School serves the middle grades in a fast-growing suburban county northeast of Atlanta. The school enrolls a mid-sized population across grades six through eight, with a student body that is predominantly white, with a substantial Asian enrollment and meaningful Hispanic and Black representation. About a third of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch.

The academic picture across the school is mixed. In math, proficiency runs roughly in the mid-range across the grade levels, with eighth grade notably stronger than the sixth. English language arts shows lower performance, particularly in eighth grade where proficiency dips considerably below the sixth-grade level. Science proficiency in eighth grade is below that in math or ELA. Social studies in eighth grade sits roughly at the midpoint. State testing data for sixth and seventh grades in science and social studies are not available, as Georgia does not assess those subjects until grade eight. Because this is the school year for which results were reported, trend data cannot show whether these outcomes represent movement up or down.

A parent considering this school should look into how the school is addressing literacy and science instruction, given the lower results in those areas. The progression from sixth to eighth grade in ELA, showing decline rather than growth, would merit a conversation with the school about reading and writing support.

Cumming, the city where North Forsyth sits, has transformed rapidly from a small rural county seat into a booming exurb of metro Atlanta. The historic downtown around the courthouse square anchors civic life, now joined by the Cumming City Center, a newer mixed-use development with shops, dining, trails, and an amphitheater. The area is characterized by car-dependent suburban development, though the Big Creek Greenway and Sawnee Mountain Preserve provide outdoor recreation. Housing costs have risen sharply as the county grew; median home values in the area are substantially above the state benchmark. However, voters approved a locally crafted property tax cap effective January 2025 that limits annual increases in school property tax for homeowners, offering some predictability for families moving into the district. That same community also approved continued education sales tax funding in November 2025, signaling local commitment to school capital projects.

The district's board voted in mid-2025 to ban cell phones, smart watches, and tablets during the school day for all grades, including high school outside the lunch hour—a distraction-free policy stricter than Georgia's state law and one that would shape the daily classroom environment.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 654%

School 54% · District 67% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 754%

School 54% · District 70% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 74% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 645%

School 45% · District 65% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 65% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 840%

School 40% · District 60% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Science

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 4% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 66% · ▼ 17 pts below district

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

This schoolForsyth 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-income32%Higher-income57%26 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income49%20 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income22%Higher-income50%28 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income27%Higher-income52%25 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income39%Higher-income62%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income37%Higher-income57%20 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income39%Higher-income67%29 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income38%Higher-income62%24 pp gap