Elbert County

Elbert County School District serves about 2,846 students across four schools in Elberton, Georgia, covering grades K-12 with two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The district holds a 2-star rating, but individual schools vary widely in performance, with Elbert County Elementary School standing out as the clear academic leader.

Elbert County Elementary School (grades 3-5) earns a 3-star rating and ranks in the 63rd percentile statewide, a notable improvement from the 55th percentile in prior years. Despite 100% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, this school meets or exceeds state averages in math across all tested grades and surpasses the state average in 5th grade science. In contrast, Elbert County Middle School (grades 6-8) shows a dramatic split: grade-level math proficiency ranges from 23.9% to 28.4%, well below state averages, yet an extraordinary 74.4% of its students taking Algebra I score proficient or better—far exceeding the state's 48.1%. Elbert County High School (grades 9-12) struggles with proficiency gaps, including Algebra I at 16.2% versus the state's 48.1%, but maintains a graduation rate of 86.5%, nearly matching the state's 87.2%. Elbert County Primary School (grades K-2) has no test data, but its low chronic absenteeism (12.4%) and favorable student-teacher ratio (12.5:1) suggest a strong start for young learners.

Math proficiency declines sharply as students progress: from 49.5% in 3rd grade to 16.2% in high school Algebra I, with the steepest drop between elementary and middle school. Chronic absenteeism is a district bright spot, with all schools below the state average of 17.7%, though the middle school's 19.6% rate warrants attention. Per-student spending ranges from $12,914 at the high school to $14,685 at the primary school, yet the highest-performing elementary school spends less than the primary school, indicating factors beyond funding drive success. Social studies proficiency at the middle school (22.2%) trails the state by 18 points, the district's largest subject gap. Overall, Elbert County is a district of contrasts—an elementary school beating the odds, a middle school excelling in advanced math, and a high school keeping students on track to graduate despite significant proficiency challenges.