Gardner-Newman Middle School

Set in LaGrange, Georgia, Gardner-Newman Middle School is a mid-tier junior high, part of Troup County. It instructs 963 students across grades 6 through 8. Compared to the state average of about 763 students per school, that is 26% bigger than typical.

Across the 19 schools in Troup County (12,262 students total), Gardner-Newman Middle School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Gardner-Newman Middle School shows that 46% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder breaks down as 30% White, 16% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 3% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 36% Black, putting the school's mix meaningfully more Black than the area baseline.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 63 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 15.2:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 14.1:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Roughly 99% of students at Gardner-Newman Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Gardner-Newman Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 26.4% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 34.8%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Troup County) logs that median household earnings sit near $56,776, roughly 24% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 13% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Troup County's 19 public schools (combined enrollment of about 12,262 students), Gardner-Newman Middle School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Callaway High School, around 1.2 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Gardner-Newman Middle School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Gardner-Newman Middle School at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 27.5%.

The campus sits in a town-center setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count rose 5%: 916 students in 2018 compared to 963 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share expanded from 9% to 16%.

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.