Summary:
Jesup, Georgia is home to three elementary schools—Jesup Elementary School, Bacon Elementary School, and Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School—serving grades PK-5 within the Wayne County district, which ranks in the 60th percentile statewide. All three schools serve student bodies where 100% qualify for free or reduced lunch, making them highly comparable in socioeconomic context.
Bacon Elementary School stands out as the top performer, earning 3 stars and ranking 608th out of 1,219 schools (50th percentile). It showed the largest year-over-year improvement, jumping 105 positions, and leads in 3rd grade math (47.6% proficient) and 4th grade math (49.5% proficient), both near or above state averages. Jesup Elementary School is the largest school (706 students) and ranks 719th (41st percentile, 2 stars), with strong 4th grade math (47.4%) but a weak 3rd grade math showing (25.5%). Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School ranks lowest at 774th (37th percentile, 2 stars) despite spending the most per student ($14,693) and having the best student-teacher ratio (12:1).
A notable pattern is a consistent decline in math proficiency from 4th to 5th grade across all schools, with the average dropping from 45.4% to 31.3%. All three schools also fall below state averages in 5th grade math and science, suggesting district-wide challenges at the upper elementary level. Interestingly, chronic absenteeism does not align with performance—Martha Rawls Smith has the lowest absenteeism (16.3%) but weakest academics, while Bacon has the highest (22.4%) yet outperforms peers. Prior-year ELA data showed significant gaps, particularly at Martha Rawls Smith where 5th grade proficiency was just 19.3% versus the state's 43%. For parents, Bacon offers the strongest overall academics, while Jesup provides a solid middle option with notable strengths in 4th grade.
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