Elementary Schools in Paulding County

The 19 elementary schools in Paulding County, serving grades PK-5 across Dallas, Hiram, Douglasville, and surrounding communities, show a wide range of academic outcomes, with the district ranking in the middle of Georgia districts overall.

For parents, the standout choice is Burnt Hickory Elementary School, which leads the district with a 4-star rating and proficiency rates that are 15-25 percentage points above the district average in every subject. Floyd L. Shelton Elementary School at Crossroad is another strong option, ranking second while serving the largest enrollment and posting the district's lowest chronic absenteeism rate at just 6.6%. Union Elementary School proves that smaller schools can excel, ranking in the 72nd percentile with solid math scores across all grades. On the other end, Allgood Elementary School and Hiram Elementary School struggle significantly, with proficiency rates often 20-25 points below district averages and chronic absenteeism above 19%.

Two patterns stand out for families. First, poverty and attendance are strongly tied to performance: the highest-achieving schools have free/reduced lunch rates below 28%, while the lowest-performing schools all exceed 70%, and the four schools with the lowest absenteeism all rank in the top half of the district. Second, there are bright spots worth watching—Northside Elementary School jumped 149 ranking positions over three years, and Hal Hutchens Elementary nearly doubled its 3rd grade math proficiency. However, 5th grade science is a district-wide weakness, with only three schools meeting the state average. Notably, higher per-student spending does not predict better results—Floyd L. Shelton spends the least yet performs among the best, while several high-spending schools rank in the bottom half.