Ben Hill County Middle School

Ben Hill County Middle School is one of the modestly sized middle-grades schools in Fitzgerald, Georgia, part of Ben Hill County, with 594 students on its rolls from grades 6 through 8. That puts it 22% leaner than the typical public school in Georgia, which averages around 763 students.

Across the 5 schools in Ben Hill County (2,910 students total), Ben Hill County Middle School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Ben Hill County Middle School shows that the most-represented group is Black (42%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups; the rest consists of 41% White, 13% Hispanic, 3% multiracial.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Ben Hill County Middle School has 46 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.9:1. The state averages around 14.1:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 100% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

After controlling for student poverty, Ben Hill County Middle School performs roughly as the BeatsExpectations model predicts for a school with this FRL share. The predicted value is around 25.7%, the actual is 29.6%, a residual of +3.9 points.

Across the wider county, the surrounding county (Ben Hill County) shows that the typical household earns roughly $41,758 per year, about 13% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 20% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Ben Hill County runs 5 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,910 students), of which Ben Hill County Middle School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Ben Hill County Primary School, around 0.4 miles off. Within five miles, there are 3 other public schools. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Ben Hill County Middle School ranks 4th on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 28.8%.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Five-year trend. Ben Hill County Middle School's enrollment has edged down 12% since 2018, when it stood at 675 (now 594). The White share of enrollment rose from 37% to 41% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 14.8:1 in 2018 to 12.9:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, posts here usually surface around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.