Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet

Tucked into Albany in southwest Georgia, Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet is one of those schools that quietly outperforms just about everyone — ranked second in the entire state, with near-perfect percentiles across English, math, and science. As a magnet program, it draws motivated students and engaged families from across Dougherty County who are looking for a more rigorous, focused academic environment than a typical neighborhood middle school. Albany itself is a mid-sized city with deep community roots and a strong sense of local identity, and families who plant themselves here for this school tend to find it well worth the commute.