Summary:
The five public schools serving students in Ellijay, Georgia, part of the Gilmer County district, include three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, together enrolling roughly 4,100 students in a small mountain-town setting.
For parents, the standout option is Clear Creek Middle School, which ranks in the 79th percentile statewide and posts exceptional results in Algebra I, where 90% of students score proficient—nearly double the district average. Its feeder school, Clear Creek Elementary School, is the top elementary performer, ranking in the 70th percentile and leading the district in 5th grade math and English Language Arts. Mountain View Elementary shows the strongest improvement, jumping from the 55th to 63rd percentile with big gains in 5th grade math and science. Gilmer High School posts a strong 96.6% graduation rate and ranks in the 63rd percentile, though its End of Course scores in Algebra I and Biology trail the district. Ellijay Elementary School is the weakest performer, ranking in the 35th percentile despite having the highest per-student spending and lowest chronic absenteeism in the district.
Key takeaways: the Clear Creek feeder pattern delivers the strongest academics, especially in math and science, while Ellijay Elementary's low scores despite high funding suggest resources alone don't drive success. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at Gilmer High (20.4%, above the state's 17.7%), yet its graduation rate remains excellent. All schools maintain favorable student-teacher ratios between 13.6:1 and 16.4:1. Overall, families will find a clear performance gap between the Clear Creek schools and the rest of the district, with economic diversity playing a role but not fully explaining outcomes.
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