Summary:
PEACE Academy Charter School is the only elementary school in the State Specialty Schools II- PEACE Academy Charter School district, serving grades K-4 with 241 students in the Decatur, GA area, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
This school faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the bottom 5% of Georgia elementary schools. The most alarming data point is a 0% proficiency rate in 4th grade mathematics for 2025-2026—not a single student scored proficient—a complete reversal from the prior year's 15.2%. However, there are signs of progress: 3rd grade math proficiency tripled from 3.6% to 11.7% year-over-year, and 5th grade science is the school's relative strength at 27.8% proficiency, though still 16.4 points below the state average. The school's state ranking improved from the 3rd to 5th percentile, moving up 44 positions, suggesting some interventions may be taking hold. Chronic absenteeism affects 19.6% of students, nearly 2 points above the state average, which likely compounds instructional challenges.
With per-student spending of $14,619—above the typical Georgia school—and a 15:1 student-teacher ratio, the school is investing meaningful resources, yet outcomes remain well below state averages across all subjects, with gaps ranging from 16 to 50 percentage points. The 100% economic disadvantage rate presents substantial barriers, and the school's small size and limited grade span (K-4) create transition challenges. While the 2024-2025 ELA data showed improvement from 7.1% in 3rd grade to 21.2% in 4th grade, both figures remain far below state averages. For parents, this school is working to overcome significant obstacles, but the inconsistent grade-level performance—particularly the 4th grade math collapse—indicates that progress is uneven and much work remains to close the achievement gaps.
Thank you for your feedback!