Gaines Elementary School

Gaines Elementary School in Athens, GA, serves approximately 568 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Clarke County district, and it has consistently ranked in the bottom 5% of Georgia elementary schools over the past decade.

In the most recent testing cycle, math proficiency at Gaines was 21.5% for 3rd grade, 13.9% for 4th grade, and 19% for 5th grade—well below district averages of 44.7%, 38%, and 33.3%, respectively. The contrast with nearby schools is stark: Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary, just 4 miles away, posted proficiency rates of 69.5%, 57.9%, and 58.8% in the same subjects and grades. Even schools with similar demographics, such as Barnett Shoals Elementary (also 100% free/reduced lunch), outperformed Gaines by substantial margins. Science proficiency is also a concern, with only 19% of 5th graders scoring proficient compared to the district average of 33% and state average of 44.2%—though this is a significant improvement from 7% the prior year. Chronic absenteeism stands at 29.4%, higher than the district average of 26.8% and nearly double the state average of 17.7%, though it has improved from a peak of 41.8% in 2021-2022.

There are some positive signs. Math proficiency improved from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with 3rd grade rising from 13.3% to 21.5% and 5th grade more than doubling from 9.3% to 19%. The school also spends a substantial $22,170 per student and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.3:1. However, higher-performing nearby schools like Johnnie Lay Burks spend slightly less yet achieve dramatically better results, suggesting that resource allocation and school-specific practices—not just funding or class size—are key factors. Schools like Judia Jackson Harris Elementary (9.9% chronic absenteeism) and Fowler Drive Elementary (15.3%) demonstrate that lower absenteeism is achievable in high-poverty contexts, making attendance a promising lever for improvement.