Nahunta Elementary School

Nahunta Elementary School serves 260 students in grades 4 through 6 in the small town of Nahunta, Georgia, as part of the Brantley County school district. The school supports a high-poverty population, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch in the 2024-2025 school year.

One of the most impressive things about Nahunta Elementary is its exceptional attendance record. Chronic absenteeism has stayed dramatically lower than both the district and state averages for five straight years—just 11.6% in the most recent year, compared to 18.1% for the district and 17.7% statewide. This suggests strong family engagement and effective attendance initiatives that help students show up ready to learn. Academically, the school shines in 4th grade math, where 60.9% of students met proficiency standards, outpacing the state average by about 10 points. Fifth grade science is another strength, with students consistently scoring 15-20 points above the state average. The school also spends more per student ($14,491) than any comparable school in the area, a 21% increase over four years.

However, there are some mixed results worth noting. Math proficiency tends to decline as students move through the grades—5th graders scored 39.7% and 6th graders 44.4% in the most recent year, well below the 4th grade mark. When compared to nearby Atkinson Elementary School, which serves the same grades and poverty level, Nahunta outperforms in 4th grade math but trails in 6th grade math and upper-grade English Language Arts. Students feed into Brantley County Middle School, which holds a 4-star rating, though 7th grade math scores suggest some transition challenges. Note that the most recent test release does not include ELA scores—those arrive in December. Overall, this is a school that defies expectations for its poverty level, especially in attendance and early math.