Polk County Schools & Education
Polk County, Georgia
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
41/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
87.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
87.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.1%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,386
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,405
School Score
41/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 50/100
State Score Position
#116
of 159 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Polk County
Measured School Summary
Polk County performs at an average level with a school score of 41/100 and a solid graduation rate of 87.0%.
Funding Context
At $7,386 per pupil, Polk County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 17% below the Georgia average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Polk County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
11 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
41/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #116 of 159 Georgia counties with school score data.
Completion
87.0%
1.1 pts below the state average
Funding context
$7,386
roughly matches the state average
School coverage
11
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Polk County has 11 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Polk County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Dominant-district county
Polk County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 11 of 11 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#116
of 159 Georgia counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Polk County
Elementary to high school visible
7,878 students
11 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Polk County is the largest listed district slice, with 11 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Polk County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Polk County, Georgia
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Diverse Schooling Options for Polk Families
Polk County features a robust education infrastructure with 11 public schools serving 7,878 students. This network includes six elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools under one central district.
Polk County Schools Lead the Way
The Polk County School District operates all 11 campuses, with no charter schools currently in the mix. The district manages significant student populations, notably at Cedartown High School, which hosts 1,453 students.
A Balance of Town and Rural Settings
Students here experience a mix of settings, with six schools in town environments and five in rural areas. Average school enrollment sits at 716, ranging from the large 1,453-student Cedartown High to smaller elementary campuses like Rockmart Middle at 706.
School Overview
Total Schools
11
in Polk County
Reported Enrollment
7,878
11 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Polk County
11 Public Schools in Polk County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 11 of 11 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedartown High School | Profile | Polk County | Cedartown, 30125Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 1,453 |
| Cedartown Middle School | Profile | Polk County | Cedartown, 30125Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 1,035 |
| Rockmart High School | Profile | Polk County | Rockmart, 30153Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 950 |
| Eastside Elementary School | Record | Polk County | Rockmart, 30153Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 766 |
| Rockmart Middle School | Record | Polk County | Rockmart, 30153Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 706 |
| Van Wert Elementary School | Record | Polk County | Rockmart, 30153Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 696 |
| Cherokee Elementary School | Record | Polk County | Cedartown, 30125Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 625 |
| Westside Elementary School | Record | Polk County | Cedartown, 30125Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 570 |
| Northside Elementary | Record | Polk County | Cedartown, 30125Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 530 |
| Youngs Grove Elementary School | Record | Polk County | Cedartown, 30125Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 501 |
| Harpst Academy | Record | Polk County | Cedartown, 30125Town: Distant | 6–12 | High | 46 |
Cedartown High School
Polk County
Cedartown, 30125 / Town: Distant
Cedartown Middle School
Polk County
Cedartown, 30125 / Rural: Fringe
Rockmart High School
Polk County
Rockmart, 30153 / Rural: Fringe
Youngs Grove Elementary School
Polk County
Cedartown, 30125 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,386
State avg $7,405
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Polk County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Georgia counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Georgia?
How should I read the school score in Polk County?
What is the graduation rate in Polk County?
How much does Polk County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Polk County, Georgia — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Polk County, Georgia?
Polk County features a robust education infrastructure with 11 public schools serving 7,878 students. This network includes six elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools under one central district.
What are the major school districts in Polk County, Georgia?
The Polk County School District operates all 11 campuses, with no charter schools currently in the mix. The district manages significant student populations, notably at Cedartown High School, which hosts 1,453 students.
What is the school experience like in Polk County?
Students here experience a mix of settings, with six schools in town environments and five in rural areas. Average school enrollment sits at 716, ranging from the large 1,453-student Cedartown High to smaller elementary campuses like Rockmart Middle at 706.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.