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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.

Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-5

1043^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,219 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 14% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School is a small public charter school in Savannah, GA, serving 216 students in grades PK through 5 within the Savannah-Chatham County district, offering a Montessori approach to a predominantly low-income student body (73% qualify for free/reduced lunch).

In the most recent testing cycle, math proficiency at Coastal Empire lagged well behind both district and state averages at every grade level. For example, only 15% of 5th graders were proficient in math, compared to 33.2% district-wide and 44.1% statewide—a gap of nearly 30 points. Scores also swing dramatically from year to year, likely due to small class sizes; 3rd grade math proficiency jumped from 3.3% to 28.6% over three years. While the school has made impressive strides in reducing chronic absenteeism (from 44.3% to 13.4%, now better than the district and state averages), that improvement has not translated into academic gains. Notably, nearby Gould Elementary School, which serves an even more economically challenged population, outperforms Coastal Empire in 5th grade math (25% vs. 15%). Similarly, Heard Elementary School, with a similar free/reduced lunch rate, achieves far better 4th grade math results (55.2% vs. 37.5%).

One of the biggest concerns for parents is cost versus results. Coastal Empire spends $21,512 per student—about 25% more than nearby schools like Garden City Elementary ($17,250) or Windsor Forest Elementary ($17,051)—yet its academic outcomes remain in the bottom quartile statewide. The school’s ranking has been volatile, peaking at the 45th percentile in 2015-16 but falling to the 14th percentile recently. With only 30-40 students per grade, a single strong or weak cohort can dramatically shift results, making it hard to judge long-term trends. For families considering this Montessori option, the school offers a unique educational philosophy and improved attendance, but the current data suggests the academic program may need refinement to deliver results comparable to other area elementary schools.

216

Students ?

17.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,512

Per pupil spending ?

73.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

301 Buckhalter Rd
Savannah, GA 31405

(912) 395-4070

District: Savannah-Chatham County

Racial breakdown:

African American:

36.6%

White:

33.8%

Hispanic:

19.9%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 45th percentile in 2016 → 14th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Georgia average (25% vs 47% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (14th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 31 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school25%

District avg38%

Georgia avg47%

1,043^rd of 1,219

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 14%▼ down 31 pts since 2016

From bottom 45% (2016) to bottom 14% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

27^th of 31Elementary Schools in the Savannah-Chatham County

117^th of 201Savannah-Chatham County 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	17.4	1043 of 1219	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.3	1159 of 1238	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	21.7	981 of 1236	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.3	1049 of 1223	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.2	977 of 1220	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.9	859 of 1214	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.1	1115 of 1234	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	19.3	990 of 1209	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	34.1	790 of 1205	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	42.8	676 of 1233	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	33.3	826 of 1240	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	47.7	778 of 1231	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2013	25.4	1007 of 1225	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	31.4	940 of 1201	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2022	19.1	1001 of 1206	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2025	9.3	1182 of 1225	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	20.9	988 of 1220	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.1	1040 of 1210	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.5	901 of 1209	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2022)17th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2025)4th percentile-3 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics28%-20 vs state

Science15%-29 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, September 18, 2014

The statistics of this website are misleading. CEMCS may have "the highest student-to teacher ratio" of several elementary schools in Chatham County, but that's a faulty statistic. Every classroom at CEMCS has a teacher and a teacher's aide, which lowers the student-to-teacher ratio to about 10:1.

Student test scores are increasing every year for this little school, and the students who attend are lightyears ahead of their traditional school peers in social skills, conflict resolution, research, reading, writing, math... all while learning through activity--not worksheets and lecture. Close Quote

Schools Near Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School

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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 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 (2025)	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 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
Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	301 Buckhalter Rd	Savannah	31405	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	Yes	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-4070	216	13	17.1	73.1%	73 (33.8%)	79 (36.6%)	43 (19.9%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.9%)	17.4	1043^rd of 1219 public elementary schools	14.4%		11.3	1159^th of 1238 public elementary schools	6.4%	116	28.6	37.5	15.0				15.0			$21,512	$2,113	$19,399
Gould Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4910 Pineland Dr	Savannah	31405	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-5400	559	52	10.7	92.7%	59 (10.6%)	234 (41.9%)	213 (38.1%)	13 (2.3%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.8%)	29.8	837^th of 1219 public elementary schools	31.3%		28	874^th of 1238 public elementary schools	29.4%	37	43.7	34.6	25.0				30.4			$20,594	$2,159	$18,434
Pulaski K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	1001 Tibet Ave	Savannah	31419	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-6466	1,147	79	14.5	78.8%	130 (11.3%)	571 (49.8%)	354 (30.9%)	25 (2.2%)	2 (0.2%)	7 (0.6%)	58 (5.1%)	29.7	841^st of 1219 public elementary schools	31.0%		29.5	841^st of 1238 public elementary schools	32.1%		33.1	36.1	32.8	19.0	16.5	20.6	38.0	20.6	19.1	$16,336	$1,345	$14,991
Haven Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5111 Dillon Ave	Savannah	31405	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-6501	361	30	12.0	97.8%	5 (1.4%)	317 (87.8%)	28 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.0%)	12.3	1119^th of 1219 public elementary schools	8.2%		9	1198^th of 1238 public elementary schools	3.2%	79	29.3	13.0	10.6				25.5			$20,396	$2,169	$18,227
Butler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1909 Cynthia St	Savannah	31415	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-2525	524	41	12.7	89.3%	7 (1.3%)	430 (82.1%)	72 (13.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.5%)	31.8	807^th of 1219 public elementary schools	33.8%		15.1	1089^th of 1238 public elementary schools	12.0%	282	32.9	36.8	37.8				31.8			$19,630	$1,809	$17,821
Hodge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	975 Clinch Street	Savannah	31405	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-5200	420	30	14.2	95.2%	14 (3.3%)	366 (87.1%)	21 (5.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	15 (3.6%)	26.3	890^th of 1219 public elementary schools	27.0%		37.5	718^th of 1238 public elementary schools	42.0%	172	27.8	43.3	20.4				31.5			$20,087	$2,343	$17,743
White Bluff Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	9402 White Bluff Road	Savannah	31406	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-3325	701	49	14.4	85.3%	63 (9.0%)	456 (65.0%)	116 (16.5%)	19 (2.7%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.7%)	40 (5.7%)	13.2	1110^th of 1219 public elementary schools	8.9%		10.6	1173^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	5.3%	63	24.8	29.2	14.5				19.6			$18,326	$2,029	$16,298
Garden City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4037 Kessler Ave	Garden City	31408	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-6820	597	45	13.2	90.6%	33 (5.5%)	181 (30.3%)	360 (60.3%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.2%)	45.7	607^th of 1219 public elementary schools	50.2%		39.4	694^th of 1238 public elementary schools	43.9%	87	38.3	41.7	43.6				43.6			$17,250	$1,881	$15,369
Windsor Forest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	414 Briarcliff Cir	Savannah	31419	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-3353	656	47	13.9	83.8%	88 (13.4%)	370 (56.4%)	119 (18.1%)	31 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.7%)	37 (5.6%)	36	736^th of 1219 public elementary schools	39.6%		28.1	871^st of 1238 public elementary schools	29.6%	135	31.3	53.0	31.7				28.2			$17,051	$1,689	$15,362
Heard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	414 Lee Blvd	Savannah	31405	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	No	(912) 395-6630	636	49	12.9	72.8%	105 (16.5%)	423 (66.5%)	39 (6.1%)	15 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	50 (7.9%)	41.3	655^th of 1219 public elementary schools	46.3%		57.8	466^th of 1238 public elementary schools	62.4%	189	46.3	55.2	27.3				27.3			$17,754	$1,384	$16,370

Frequently Asked Questions about Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School

What district is Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School in?

Savannah-Chatham County

Is Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School a good school?

Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School ranks in the bottom 14.4% of Georgia elementary schools.

How many students attend Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 216 students attended Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School.

What is the racial makeup of Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School?

Students at Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School are 37% African American, 34% White, 20% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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Latest Georgia data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataAug 6, 2026

2025–26 Milestones Assessment scoresAug 6, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 Milestones Assessment scores (updated)Aug 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.