Elementary Schools in Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County is home to 82 elementary schools serving approximately 78,000 students, with enrollment ranging from 193 students at North Metro Academy of Performing Arts to 1,593 at Duncan Creek Elementary. The district ranks 66th out of 201 districts statewide with a 3-star rating, and the data reveals a wide spectrum of performance, from elite 5-star schools to those struggling in the bottom quartile.

The district's top tier is remarkably stable, with Level Creek Elementary leading the way at 7th statewide (99th percentile) with 5th-grade math proficiency at 89.3% and science at 88.8%. Riverside Elementary (26th statewide) boasts the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at just 3.0%, while Suwanee Elementary (17th), Roberts Elementary (36th), and Simpson Elementary (41st) round out the elite group. At the other end, Nesbit Elementary and Graves Elementary rank near 1058th statewide with math proficiency below 28% and chronic absenteeism near 20%. Notably, Pharr Elementary achieves a 4-star rating despite 64% economic disadvantage, and Freeman's Mill Elementary maintains 5 stars with 57% economic disadvantage, proving high achievement is possible across diverse contexts.

Chronic absenteeism emerges as a critical differentiator—schools with rates below 8% consistently rank in the top 15% statewide, while those above 18% predominantly land in the bottom 25%. Spending does not predict outcomes: Meadowcreek Elementary spends $17,017 per student yet ranks 936th, while Gwin Oaks Elementary spends just $12,878 and achieves a 5-star rating. Improvement is possible at scale—Corley Elementary jumped 357 positions in two years, and Beaver Ridge Elementary climbed 166 spots. Geographic patterns show northern schools near Suwanee consistently outperform central/southern corridor schools, reflecting underlying socioeconomic divides. As the district awaits December's ELA results, the math and science data from 2025-2026 offers a clear picture: the strongest predictors of success are attendance and economic factors, though targeted interventions at schools like Kanoheda Elementary—which improved despite 23.8% absenteeism—show that progress is achievable.