Sammy Mcclure Sr. Middle School, Dallas GA

Original Research by School Decision on Sammy Mcclure Sr. Middle School

Sammy McClure Sr. Middle School is a mid-sized middle school serving grades 6 through 8 in Dallas, the county seat of Paulding County, a fast-growing northwestern exurb of Atlanta. The school draws from a suburban, predominantly residential community that has expanded considerably over the past two decades and continues active new construction. The school's enrollment spans the three middle grades roughly evenly, with a student body that is predominantly white, and includes a modest share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. A small number of students are Asian, Black, or Hispanic, and data on special education and English learner enrollment was not available.

On state end-of-year assessments for 2024-25, Sammy McClure's students showed mixed results. In math, about two-thirds of students tested as proficient across all three grades, with performance holding steady from sixth to eighth grade. English language arts results were notably lower, dropping from around three-fifths of sixth graders meeting proficiency to about half of seventh and eighth graders. In social studies, eighth graders scored well above the typical proficiency bar. Science is a soft spot: eighth grade proficiency in science was substantially lower than in other subjects, less than a third of students meeting the standard, which marks a sharp decline from prior year results.

The school is situated in a county school district that has invested heavily in capital improvements and has shown upward momentum at the high school level, with all five county high schools recently earning AP Honor School designations and a four-year graduation rate that exceeds the state average. The county also passed a renewal of its local sales tax for education in 2023, allowing the district to avoid property tax increases for school debt service. Paulding County is actively opening new schools and realigning attendance zones to manage growth, so families in the Dallas area should verify current and projected school assignments with the district.

The Dallas area itself is car-dependent, though the historic downtown square remains a walkable community hub with local shops, libraries, and restaurants, and the Silver Comet Trail provides a major paved recreational corridor. Housing values are moderate for the Atlanta metro region, and the area is defined by ongoing residential construction, new subdivisions, and a young family demographic. A parent considering this school should be aware that English language arts and science performance are areas worth discussing directly with the school, while math proficiency appears solid.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 666%

School 66% · District 37% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 765%

School 65% · District 40% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 865%

School 65% · District 47% · ▲ 18 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 660%

School 60% · District 41% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 752%

School 52% · District 41% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 39% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Science

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 17% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 881%

School 81% · District 45% · ▲ 36 pts above district

▲ 50 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

This schoolPaulding 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-income36%Higher-income70%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income42%Higher-income60%18 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income37%Higher-income68%31 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income38%Higher-income66%28 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income43%Higher-income75%33 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income41%Higher-income68%27 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income38%Higher-income72%34 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income41%Higher-income72%31 pp gap