F. L. Stanton Elementary School

F. L. Stanton Elementary School is a small, historic neighborhood school in Atlanta's West End, serving 161 students in grades PK-5 as part of Atlanta Public Schools.

This is a school that has seen real, steady progress over the past decade, even though it still faces significant challenges. The school has climbed from the 3rd percentile in statewide rankings in 2015-2016 to the 17th percentile today, and it has earned 1 star in each of the last three years—up from zero stars before. One of the most encouraging trends is in chronic absenteeism, which has dropped dramatically from a staggering 64.2% in 2021-2022 to 35.3% in 2025-2026. While that rate is still double the state average (17.7%), it represents a 45% reduction in just four years. The school also stands out for its intensive investment in students: with a 9.8:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $41,200—more than 3.5 times what KIPP Strive Primary Charter School spends—this is a high-touch, resource-rich environment. Only Beecher Hills Elementary School spends at a similar level ($40,846), yet Beecher Hills achieves far stronger results (72nd percentile statewide), which shows that money alone doesn't tell the whole story.

Academically, the picture is mixed. In the most recent testing year, 3rd grade math proficiency (28.6%) and 4th grade math proficiency (33.3%) were competitive with several nearby schools, though they lag district and state averages. However, 5th grade math proficiency drops sharply to just 11.1%—a consistent pattern over multiple years that suggests a real challenge in upper-grade math instruction. On a brighter note, 5th grade science proficiency (29.6%) is a genuine bright spot, outperforming Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy (12%), William M.Boyd Elementary School (24.3%), and Kipp WAYS Primary Charter School (11.5%), and it has improved fivefold since 2022-2023. The school also serves its African American students relatively well, ranking in the 31st percentile statewide for that subgroup—higher than the school's overall 17th percentile. Compared to its closest neighbors, F. L. Stanton sits in the middle: it outperforms Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy (4th percentile) and Kipp WAYS Primary Charter School (11th percentile), but trails Tuskegee Airman Global Academy (44th percentile) and KIPP Strive Primary Charter School (43rd percentile). This is a school in transition—one that has received significant recent investment and is showing early signs of improvement, but still has substantial work ahead, particularly in reducing absenteeism and strengthening 5th grade math.