The Heard County Board of Education is the second largest employer in the county. Of the certified personnel, 62 percent have master's degrees or higher and all are involved in advanced training through staff development. The system offers local salary supplements and benefits and retains well-qualified employees.

Students in Heard County are provided with countless advantages, many of which are locally funded. Additional teachers above state allotment provide for typically small classes and allow Heard County to boast one of the lowest pupil teacher ratios in the state. Teachers for art, music, and physical education are provided in all schools, and every school has a gymnasium. Guidance counselors are available to work with individual students and with groups at all grade levels.

To strengthen the instructional programs, each school has a well-equipped automated media center staffed by a media specialist. Technology also adds instructional support; the system's 2,200 students have access to over 600 computers with more being added yearly. In addition, record keeping such as attendance and grade reporting is computerized allowing teachers more time for instructional tasks with students.

The Heard County School System is proud of its strong curriculum, which emphasizes basic skills instruction and includes supplementary/support components. At all grade levels, pre-kindergarten through 12, advancing and updating the curriculum is an ongoing process in Heard County. Heard County Comprehensive High School offers full instructional programs in college preparatory, vocational education, and special education. Advanced Placement courses are offered in English, Calculus and United States History

With strong community support, Pre-K - 5 grade students are involved in academic and physical education, music, band, art, speech gifted, remedial and special education. Field trips to a variety of sites broaden experiences in science, literature, social studies and many other areas of the curriculum. Accelerated Reader is a popular computerized reading management program available to students in grades 2-8. In the early part of the century, students in the Ephesus Community met in a one room school house near the Ephesus Baptist Church. Some residents remember attending this school as children. (circa 1907).