Summary:
Dooly County Elementary School is the only elementary school in Dooly County, serving grades PK through 5 in Pinehurst, GA, with 508 students in a rural, high-poverty area where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
This single school faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates in every subject and grade level running roughly 20 to 40 percentage points below state averages. For the current 2025-2026 school year, 3rd grade math proficiency is just 10.5% compared to the state's 48.3%, while 4th grade math is the relative bright spot at 26.8% versus the state's 50.1%. Fifth grade science shows some relative strength at 20.5% proficiency, though still far behind the state's 44.2%. The school's ranking has improved modestly over three years, moving from the 3rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 5th percentile in 2025-2026, but it remains in the bottom tier of Georgia elementary schools with a zero-star rating.
There are a few encouraging signs for parents to note. Chronic absenteeism at 17.7% exactly matches the state average and is notably better than the district's 24.9%, suggesting attendance is not a compounding problem. Fourth grade math showed a dramatic year-over-year improvement, jumping from 12.0% to 26.8% proficiency. The school also invests $14,368 per student with a favorable 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio, indicating resources are available. However, math scores declined in 3rd and 5th grades this year, and the most recent ELA data from 2024-2025 shows proficiency rates between 9.3% and 19.7%, all well below state averages. While the school faces substantial hurdles tied to its high-poverty context, the improving ranking and pockets of progress suggest potential for growth, though consistent gains across all grade levels remain an ongoing challenge.
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