Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1178^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,219 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 3% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School is a PK-5 school in Atlanta's historic West End neighborhood, serving 279 students as part of Atlanta Public Schools, where every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch.

Dunbar faces significant academic challenges. In the most recent testing year, math proficiency rates were dramatically below district and state averages—for example, just 11.8% of 3rd graders met math standards compared to 47.1% districtwide and 48.3% statewide. Similar gaps appear in 4th and 5th grade math, as well as 5th grade science. The school's state ranking has hovered in the bottom 3–13 percentile over the past decade, and it currently sits at 1,178 out of 1,219 Georgia elementary schools. When compared to nearby schools with similar demographics, Dunbar generally trails: in 3rd grade math, it lags behind Thomas Heathe Slater Elementary School (27.5%), Finch Elementary (27.7%), Charles L. Gideons Elementary School (28.5%), M. A. Jones Elementary School (29.5%), and Barack and Michelle Obama Academy (42.3%). Chronic absenteeism is also a concern at 37.7%, well above the district's 27.6% and more than double the state's 17.7%, though it has improved from a peak of 49.5% two years ago.

One of the most striking findings is the spending-to-performance disconnect. Dunbar spends $36,030 per student—among the highest in its comparison group—yet outcomes remain low. By contrast, KIPP Strive Primary Charter School spends roughly one-third as much per student ($10,925) while achieving a 43rd percentile ranking. Dunbar does maintain a favorable 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio, and prior-year data (from 2024-2025) showed a consistent pattern of students improving as they progress from 3rd to 5th grade in English Language Arts, suggesting some skill-building over time. However, test scores have been volatile year to year, and the school's ability to stabilize gains while addressing attendance and achievement gaps will be critical to changing its trajectory.

279

Students ?

11.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$36,030

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

500 Whitehall Ter SW
Atlanta, GA 30312

(404) 802-7950

District: Atlanta Public Schools

Students who attend Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Martin L. King Junior Middle School
High:	Maynard Jackson High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

95.3%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Two or more races:

1.8%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Test scores delayed: 2026 rankings for Georgia do not yet include English Language Arts scores, which will not be released by the Georgia Department of Education until winter 2026.

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 6th percentile in 2015 → 3rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Georgia average (15% vs 47% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (3rd percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (38% vs 18% Georgia)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school15%

District avg44%

Georgia avg47%

1,178^th of 1,219

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 3%▼ down 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 8% (2016) to bottom 3% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

55^th of 55Elementary Schools in the Atlanta Public Schools

120^th of 201Atlanta Public Schools among Georgia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	7.5	1178 of 1219	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	16.0	1075 of 1238	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.7	1117 of 1236	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.2	1184 of 1223	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	9.3	1171 of 1220	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.6	1108 of 1234	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.6	1080 of 1209	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	14.4	1055 of 1205	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	11.6	1136 of 1233	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	10.6	1160 of 1240	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	2.6	1207 of 1231	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	2.2	1207 of 1225	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	1.4	1193 of 1201	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	2.3	1202 of 1212	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	10.2	1101 of 1183	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	26.3	939 of 1133	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	37.8	785 of 1134	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	27.0	904 of 1125	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	15.0	999 of 1101	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	15.8	769 of 828	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	30.3	631 of 892	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.7	668 of 879	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.5	787 of 870	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	17.8	793 of 876	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	8.0	1155 of 1186	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	18.6	1022 of 1224	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.1	1140 of 1223	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.7	1152 of 1212	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.9	1168 of 1206	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	8.3	1137 of 1183	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	12.7	1130 of 1225	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	20.8	992 of 1220	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.6	1155 of 1210	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.7	1104 of 1209	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)7th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)4th percentile~ school

Female (2026)3rd percentile~ school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics16%-32 vs state

Science14%-30 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2026)	Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2026)						Milestones Assessment Science (2026)		Milestones Assessment Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Whitehall Ter SW	Atlanta	30312	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-7950	279	23	11.9	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	266 (95.3%)	7 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	7.5	1178^th of 1219 public elementary schools	3.4%		16	1075^th of 1238 public elementary schools	13.2%	103		11.8	21.0	14.3				14.3			$36,030	$2,442	$33,588
Charles L. Gideons Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	897 Welch St SW	Atlanta	30310	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-7700	311	28	11.0	100.0%	13 (4.2%)	273 (87.8%)	13 (4.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.5%)	21.4	962^nd of 1219 public elementary schools	21.1%		10.7	1169^th of 1238 public elementary schools	5.6%	207		28.5	28.3	25.5				31.9			$26,855	$1,081	$25,774
Wesley International Academy Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	211 Memorial Dr SE	Atlanta	30312	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(678) 904-9137	776	57	13.5	96.4%	37 (4.8%)	667 (86.0%)	30 (3.9%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (4.4%)	32.8	787^th of 1219 public elementary schools	35.4%		26.8	895^th of 1238 public elementary schools	27.7%	108	83.3	30.1	37.3	42.4	20.8	22.6	38.4	34.8	37.3	46.5	$25,997	$1,422	$24,575
M. A. Jones Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1040 Fair St SW	Atlanta	30314	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-3900	461	34	13.4	100.0%	8 (1.7%)	435 (94.4%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.2%)	15.4	1071^st of 1219 public elementary schools	12.1%		10.2	1179^th of 1238 public elementary schools	4.8%	108		29.5	28.4	20.3				17.8			$28,215	$1,985	$26,230
Barack and Michelle Obama Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	970 Martin St SE	Atlanta	30315	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-4200	297	25	11.7	100.0%	10 (3.4%)	277 (93.3%)	4 (1.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	32.9	783^rd of 1219 public elementary schools	35.8%		26.8	894^th of 1238 public elementary schools	27.8%	111		42.3	25.0	31.8				40.9			$33,229	$2,675	$30,554
Atlanta Neighborhood Charter - Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	688 Grant St SE	Atlanta	30315	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	No	(404) 624-6226	394	33	11.8	14.5%	243 (61.7%)	79 (20.1%)	22 (5.6%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (11.4%)	85.8	170^th of 1219 public elementary schools	86.1%		92.2	108^th of 1238 public elementary schools	91.3%	62		79.1	74.2	62.1				53.0			$25,958	$36	$25,922
Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	225 James P. Brawley Drive NW	Atlanta	30314	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-8200	583	72	8.1	100.0%	2 (0.3%)	542 (93.0%)	31 (5.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	8	1174^th of 1219 public elementary schools	3.7%		10.1	1181^st of 1238 public elementary schools	4.6%	7		10.3	28.8	10.8	10.4	12.2	14.0	12.0	16.5	12.6	$35,088	$2,602	$32,487
Thomas Heathe Slater Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1320 Pryor Rd SW	Atlanta	30315	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-4050	496	43	11.6	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	479 (96.6%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.8%)	14.4	1089^th of 1219 public elementary schools	10.7%		14.5	1101^st of 1238 public elementary schools	11.1%	12		27.5	31.6	19.2				11.6			$28,149	$1,358	$26,792
Finch Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1114 Avon Ave SW	Atlanta	30310	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-4000	291	35	8.2	100.0%	1 (0.3%)	283 (97.3%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	18.8	1013^th of 1219 public elementary schools	16.9%		15.9	1076^th of 1238 public elementary schools	13.1%	63		27.7	23.9	25.5				27.3			$39,281	$1,835	$37,447
KIPP Strive Primary Charter School	Public, Charter	K-5	1448 Lucile Ave SW	Atlanta	30310	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(404) 924-6310	627	38	16.4	100.0%	18 (2.9%)	596 (95.1%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	38	697^th of 1219 public elementary schools	42.8%		29.3	846^th of 1238 public elementary schools	31.7%	149		28.8	42.8	37.2				42.6			$10,925	$1,050	$9,875

Frequently Asked Questions about Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Martin L. King Junior Middle School
High : Maynard Jackson High School

What district is Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School in?

Atlanta Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School?

Students at Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School are 95% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 279 students attended Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School.

Is Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School a good school?

Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School ranks in the bottom 3.4% of Georgia elementary schools.

Rate Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

GAGeorgia Elementary School Rankings

GAGeorgia District Rankings

Schools in Atlanta, GA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School!

Latest Georgia data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataNewAug 6, 2026

2025–26 Milestones Assessment scoresNewAug 6, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 Milestones Assessment scores (updated)NewAug 6, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesFeb 19, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.