Elementary Schools in Valdosta City

The five elementary schools in the Valdosta City district—Sallas Mahone Elementary, W.G. Nunn Elementary, S.L. Mason Elementary School, J. L. Lomax Elementary School, and Pinevale Elementary School—serve grades PK through 5 in a district that ranks in the 14th percentile statewide, with all schools facing high poverty levels and chronic absenteeism rates well above the state average.

Sallas Mahone Elementary is the clear standout, earning the district’s only 2-star rating and outperforming every other school in nearly all subjects and grade levels. For example, its 3rd grade math proficiency is 39.2% versus the district average of 29.1%, and it has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (19.6%) and the lowest free/reduced lunch percentage (81%). Interestingly, it achieves this with the lowest per-student spending ($12,467) and the second-highest student-teacher ratio (14.5:1). At the other end, Pinevale Elementary School is a concerning outlier: despite spending the most per student ($15,757), its 5th grade math proficiency collapsed from 18.1% to just 3.1% in one year, and its 5th grade science fell to 12.3%—both far below district averages. W.G. Nunn Elementary showed the most improvement, jumping 134 places in statewide ranking, with 3rd grade math rising from 8.8% to 24.2%, though it still trails the district average.

Across the district, chronic absenteeism ranges from 19.6% at Sallas Mahone to 23.4% at S.L. Mason Elementary School, all exceeding the state’s 17.7% rate. Four of the five schools have free/reduced lunch rates above 96%, indicating a highly concentrated high-need population. While J. L. Lomax Elementary School and W.G. Nunn improved their rankings, Pinevale remained near the bottom and S.L. Mason slipped slightly. For parents, the key takeaway is that Sallas Mahone demonstrates strong outcomes despite limited resources, while Pinevale’s 5th grade collapse and the district-wide attendance challenges signal areas needing urgent attention.