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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.

Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School

Q: Is Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School a good school?

Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School ranks 213 th of 1219 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

213^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,219 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 83% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School in Athens, GA, serves 492 students from Pre-K through 5th grade in the Clarke County School District, and it stands out as a top performer—ranking in the 83rd percentile statewide (213rd out of 1,219 Georgia elementary schools) while serving a student body where about 74% qualify for free or reduced lunch.

What makes this school truly remarkable is how far it outpaces its district peers in math and science. In 3rd grade math, 69.5% of students are proficient, compared to just 44.7% across the district and 48.3% statewide. Similar gaps appear in 4th and 5th grade math, and in 5th grade science, where 60.3% of students are proficient versus 33% district-wide. These are not small margins—they represent a 20-to-27 percentage point advantage over neighboring schools. The school has also shown steady year-over-year improvement, with 3rd grade math proficiency climbing from 45.6% in 2022-2023 to 69.5% in 2025-2026. This consistent growth, combined with a favorable 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio, suggests effective teaching strategies that are working well for a diverse student population.

Attendance is another area where Johnnie Lay Burks shines. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 19.3% is well below the district average of 26.8%, and the school has maintained this advantage for five straight years. The contrast with nearby schools is striking: Bettye Henderson Holston Elementary (2nd percentile) and Howard B. Stroud Elementary (3rd percentile) serve similar demographics but achieve far lower results, despite spending more per student. Johnnie Lay Burks actually spends less than many of its lower-performing neighbors—about $21,700 per student—yet delivers top-quartile outcomes. For families in Athens, this school demonstrates that high-poverty schools can achieve exceptional academic success, making it a standout option worth serious consideration.

492

Students ?

11.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,739

Per pupil spending ?

74.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

757 N Chase St
Athens, GA 30601

(706) 543-1081

District: Clarke County

Students who attend Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Clarke Middle School
High:	Clarke Central High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.5%

African American:

38.4%

Hispanic:

11.4%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 94th percentile in 2016 → 83rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Georgia average (62% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 17% of Georgia elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Clarke County

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school62%

District avg37%

Georgia avg47%

213^th of 1,219

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 17%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 6% (2016) to top 17% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 14Elementary Schools in the Clarke County

137^th of 201Clarke 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	80.9	213 of 1219	82.5%	★★★★☆
2025	77.0	257 of 1238	79.2%	★★★★☆
2024	76.5	274 of 1236	77.8%	★★★★☆
2023	79.3	233 of 1223	80.9%	★★★★☆
2022	82.6	213 of 1220	82.5%	★★★★☆
2021	68.3	342 of 1214	71.8%	★★★★☆
2019	84.7	173 of 1234	86.0%	★★★★☆
2018	87.6	138 of 1209	88.6%	★★★★☆
2017	88.9	118 of 1205	90.2%	★★★★★
2016	93.1	80 of 1233	93.5%	★★★★★
2015	87.6	133 of 1240	89.3%	★★★★☆
2014	70.8	386 of 1231	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	76.5	271 of 1225	77.9%	★★★★☆
2012	78.1	218 of 1201	81.8%	★★★★☆
2011	48.1	742 of 1212	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	37.1	861 of 1183	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	23.2	967 of 1133	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	13.4	1050 of 1134	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	3.2	1113 of 1125	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	3.0	1090 of 1101	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	21.0	710 of 828	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.6	715 of 892	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.7	843 of 879	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.4	723 of 870	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.2	713 of 876	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	82.3	187 of 1186	84.2%	★★★★☆
2025	83.9	182 of 1224	85.1%	★★★★☆
2024	76.7	262 of 1223	78.6%	★★★★☆
2023	79.3	222 of 1212	81.7%	★★★★☆
2022	78.0	247 of 1206	79.5%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	76.9	244 of 1183	79.4%	★★★★☆
2025	64.6	372 of 1225	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.7	303 of 1220	75.2%	★★★★☆
2023	75.1	276 of 1210	77.2%	★★★★☆
2022	84.6	173 of 1209	85.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	93.9	17 of 700	97.6%	★★★★★
2025	93.8	21 of 769	97.3%	★★★★★
2024	95.3	13 of 772	98.3%	★★★★★
2023	94.9	16 of 775	97.9%	★★★★★
2022	96.4	8 of 779	99.0%	★★★★★

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)

White (2026)98th percentile+15 vs school

Female (2026)84th percentile~ school

Male (2026)79th percentile-3 vs school

African American (2026)14th percentile-68 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics62%+15 vs state

Science60%+16 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, August 3, 2017

Great school! I always felt welcome as I walked into the doors of Chase. Teachers and other staff greet parents and the students with a smile. Great school Academically. Close Quote

Schools Near Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary 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)	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 Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	757 N Chase St	Athens	30601	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 543-1081	492	44	11.1	74.4%	214 (43.5%)	189 (38.4%)	56 (11.4%)	6 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.5%)	80.9	213^th of 1219 public elementary schools	82.5%		77	257^th of 1238 public elementary schools	79.2%	44	69.5	57.9	58.8	60.3	$21,739	$1,207	$20,533
Bettye Henderson Holston Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	205 Alps Rd	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 548-2261	322	38	8.4	100.0%	12 (3.7%)	243 (75.5%)	36 (11.2%)	8 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (7.1%)	6	1200^th of 1219 public elementary schools	1.6%		10.2	1180^th of 1238 public elementary schools	4.7%	20	12.8	10.3	13.7	14.0	$26,519	$1,784	$24,735
Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1150 Oglethorpe Ave	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 549-0762	563	56	10.1	100.0%	114 (20.2%)	182 (32.3%)	222 (39.4%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.4%)	36	734^th of 1219 public elementary schools	39.8%		24.2	937^th of 1238 public elementary schools	24.3%	203	45.8	39.2	27.3	34.9	$22,691	$1,439	$21,252
Barrow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Pinecrest Dr	Athens	30605	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 543-2676	456	42	10.8	77.4%	177 (38.8%)	180 (39.5%)	38 (8.3%)	36 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.5%)	50.1	542^nd of 1219 public elementary schools	55.5%		57.2	475^th of 1238 public elementary schools	61.6%	67	50.0	39.2	40.0	47.3	$22,187	$1,221	$20,966
Howard B. Stroud Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	715 Fourth St	Athens	30601	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 369-1893	350	42	8.3	100.0%	13 (3.7%)	257 (73.4%)	63 (18.0%)	5 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.1%)	7.5	1179^th of 1219 public elementary schools	3.3%		6.4	1223^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	1.2%	44	18.9	17.1	15.5	11.1	$29,249	$1,662	$27,587
Fowler Drive Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Fowler Dr	Athens	30601	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 357-5330	366	43	8.5	100.0%	28 (7.7%)	143 (39.1%)	176 (48.1%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.4%)	27.4	873^rd of 1219 public elementary schools	28.4%		24.1	940^th of 1238 public elementary schools	24.1%	67	43.6	45.7	23.8	17.7	$25,789	$1,782	$24,007
Whitehead Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	555 Quailwood Dr	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 548-7296	632	66	9.5	99.1%	118 (18.7%)	209 (33.1%)	266 (42.1%)	9 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (4.6%)	47.3	586^th of 1219 public elementary schools	51.9%		41.7	662^nd of 1238 public elementary schools	46.5%	76	48.8	42.0	43.8	38.2	$22,563	$1,315	$21,248
Timothy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1900 Timothy Rd	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 549-0107	565	53	10.5	68.3%	217 (38.4%)	210 (37.2%)	82 (14.5%)	17 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.7%)	62.6	404^th of 1219 public elementary schools	66.9%		70.5	324^th of 1238 public elementary schools	73.8%	80	59.8	57.4	33.8	47.7	$22,136	$1,131	$21,005
Gaines Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 Gaines School Rd	Athens	30605	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 357-5333	568	50	11.3	100.0%	36 (6.3%)	386 (68.0%)	110 (19.4%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.5%)	10.1	1154^th of 1219 public elementary schools	5.3%		6.9	1213^th of 1238 public elementary schools	2.0%	59	21.5	13.9	19.0	19.0	$22,170	$1,726	$20,444
Judia Jackson Harris Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2300 Danielsville Rd	Athens	30601	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 357-5203	392	41	9.6	100.0%	17 (4.3%)	81 (20.7%)	288 (73.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	32.5	791^st of 1219 public elementary schools	35.1%		28.9	859^th of 1238 public elementary schools	30.6%	68	46.5	42.9	32.6	17.6	$24,593	$1,818	$22,774

Frequently Asked Questions about Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School?

Students at Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School are 43% White, 38% African American, 11% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School a good school?

Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School ranks 213^th of 1219 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School in?

Clarke County

How many students attend Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 492 students attended Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Clarke Middle School
High : Clarke Central High School

Rate Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School!

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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.