Mercer Middle School (MMS) became a state of Georgia conversion charter school in spring 1998. The school has long been a pioneer in school reform efforts in the district and in the region and was the first middle school to obtain charter school status in Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. School reform initiatives have included: Magnet School status, School wide Title I status, a Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Plan site, and currently a Georgia Lighthouse School to Watch (2004-09), under the auspices of the Georgia Middle School Association. Mercer has also been a demonstration school site for Georgia Southern University's Teacher Education program. A focus on enrichment learning and teaching combined with an emphasis on writing and mathematics has made the school a compelling choice for parents from throughout the community.
 
The demographics of this pioneering school are also unusual, with a major portion of the students living within a low income geographic zone (residential students) and a substantial number (magnet students) who choose to come here from throughout the system. There is a 62% participation rate in the free and reduced lunch program.

The school's mission is displayed prominently, and it is clear that faculty members are all working out of the same playbook. The superintendent has articulated a vision for the system that is shared and accepted.