Westside Atlanta Charter School

Westside Atlanta Charter School is a K-8 charter school in Atlanta's Westside neighborhood, serving 349 students within the Atlanta Public Schools district. The school has earned a solid 3-star rating for a decade, but its state percentile ranking has climbed from the 50th to the 69th percentile over the past few years—its strongest showing yet.

What really sets Westside apart is its success with African American students, ranking in the 86th percentile statewide for this group—a 4-star result that far exceeds most nearby schools with similar demographics. The school also shines in middle school math: 72.2% of 8th graders passed the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, compared to just 41.7% for the district and 48.1% statewide. Science scores have jumped dramatically too, with 8th grade proficiency rising from 18.5% to 45.4% in a single year—now well above both district and state averages. Attendance is another strength: only 13.1% of students are chronically absent, less than half the district rate of 27.6% and far better than neighbors like Woodson Park Academy School (29.4%) or Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy (48.2%).

Compared to nearby schools, Westside sits in a strong upper-middle tier. It outperforms high-poverty neighbors like Kipp WAYS Primary Charter School and KIPP Soul Primary by wide margins in 5th grade math (52.6% vs. 17.2% and 13.3%, respectively), while not quite matching the top-tier results of Morris Brandon Elementary School. The school also uses its resources efficiently—spending $23,222 per student, far less than several lower-performing schools in the area that spend over $35,000. The one clear weakness is 8th grade social studies (30.3% proficiency, below the state's 40.2%), but overall, Westside's combination of strong attendance, effective spending, and steady academic gains makes it a standout option in the district.