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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.

Nickajack Elementary School

Q: Is Nickajack Elementary School a good school?

Nickajack Elementary School ranks 376 th of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

376^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,222 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 69% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Nickajack Elementary School in Smyrna, GA, serves approximately 1,260 students in grades PK-5 and is part of the Cobb County School District, ranking in the 69th percentile statewide—a solid upper-middle tier position among Georgia elementary schools.

Nickajack stands out as a high-performing, efficient school among its neighbors. It ranks second only to King Springs Elementary (84th percentile) within a 3.5-mile radius, outperforming Smyrna Elementary (63rd), Teasley Elementary (61st), and several others that fall below the 40th percentile. What makes this especially notable is that Nickajack achieves these results while serving a more economically diverse population (44% free/reduced lunch) than King Springs (26%), and it does so with notably lower per-student spending ($14,196) compared to schools like Belmont Hills Elementary ($25,908) and Argyle Elementary ($26,471), which rank far lower academically. The school also excels with specific student groups, earning 4-star ratings for both African American and White students, and it has cut chronic absenteeism dramatically—from 25.1% in 2021-2022 to just 11.1% now, well below district and state averages.

Academically, Nickajack's 3rd grade math proficiency (57.9%) exceeds district (53.6%) and state (48.3%) averages, and its 5th grade science scores have jumped 12 points in three years to match the district average. The one area needing attention is 5th grade math, where proficiency (49.8%) trails the district (52.8%)—though this pattern appears across nearby schools, suggesting a broader curriculum challenge. Overall, Nickajack is a stable, upward-trending school that delivers strong, equitable results for a large and diverse student body, making it a compelling choice for Smyrna families.

1,260

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,196

Per pupil spending ?

43.7%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

4555 Mavell Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30082

(678) 842-5814

District: Cobb County

Students who attend Nickajack Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Campbell Middle School
High:	Campbell High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

53.5%

White:

21.3%

Hispanic:

11.5%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Nickajack Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 61st percentile in 2016 → 69th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Georgia average (52% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 8 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Georgia median (69th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg53%

Georgia avg47%

376^th of 1,222

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 31%▲ up 8 pts since 2016

From top 39% (2016) to top 31% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

27^th of 64Elementary Schools in the Cobb County

58^th of 202Cobb 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	65.4	376 of 1222	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	59.7	436 of 1238	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.7	414 of 1236	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.8	399 of 1223	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	71.0	332 of 1220	72.8%	★★★★☆
2021	64.9	386 of 1214	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.7	433 of 1234	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.6	512 of 1209	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	60.9	417 of 1205	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	56.1	480 of 1233	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2015	56.7	488 of 1240	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2014	48.9	758 of 1231	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	60.3	594 of 1225	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	51.5	707 of 1201	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	50.8	699 of 1212	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2010	47.3	733 of 1183	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	59.1	506 of 1133	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	58.8	514 of 1134	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2007	57.5	542 of 1125	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	45.2	697 of 1101	36.7%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	68.0	187 of 829	77.4%	★★★★☆
2025	58.4	293 of 892	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.3	243 of 879	72.4%	★★★★☆
2023	67.2	208 of 870	76.1%	★★★★☆
2022	79.2	134 of 876	84.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	58.4	430 of 1189	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.1	474 of 1224	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.6	481 of 1223	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.7	449 of 1212	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.9	419 of 1206	65.3%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	58.2	156 of 504	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.4	204 of 583	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.0	132 of 565	76.6%	★★★★☆
2023	58.2	187 of 535	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	74.5	91 of 516	82.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	70.3	313 of 1186	73.6%	★★★★☆
2025	60.9	417 of 1225	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.9	314 of 1220	74.3%	★★★★☆
2023	69.1	338 of 1210	72.1%	★★★★☆
2022	76.9	259 of 1209	78.6%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	63.1	14 of 26	46.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.9	24 of 56	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	77.1	8 of 46	82.6%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2025	20.6	476 of 565	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.0	311 of 487	36.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	79.2	147 of 703	79.1%	★★★★☆
2025	81.3	132 of 769	82.8%	★★★★☆
2024	81.0	127 of 772	83.5%	★★★★☆
2023	84.4	111 of 775	85.7%	★★★★☆
2022	78.2	162 of 779	79.2%	★★★★☆

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)79th percentile+10 vs school

African American (2026)77th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2026)74th percentile+4 vs school

Hispanic (2026)69th percentile~ school

Female (2026)64th percentile-5 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)46th percentile-23 vs school

Special Education (2025)16th percentile-49 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics54%+6 vs state

Science47%+3 vs state

4.9

7 ratings · 5 written reviews

5★6

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, July 24, 2017

I love Nickajack! I have 2 boys... going into our 4th year. Teachers, PTA, Foundation and the Parents are all awesome. My boys ride the school bus, eat at school, attend ASP (after school), love the clubs. I was worried about public school in Georgia but Nickajack is a wonderful place to send your children. Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, August 3, 2013

There's something to be said when teachers allow their children to be taught at their school of employment... Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, January 20, 2012

My son has just completed the first half of Kindergarten at Nickajack. Let me highlight just a few things that have impressed me:

- Reading: the teachers have been working VERY well with the children on their reading skills. My son is now beyond 1st grade level and progressing every week. For a while, I could not believe how quickly he was progressing. This was my top priority going into the school year and I am very happy - more than I was even hoping for.

- Math: let's just put it this way, he is already doing multiplication (he has done 7 x 7 but I can't remember if he's done higher than that). I am not sure if match is getting as much focus as reading (which makes sense to me, since reading is the foundation for everything else) but for a kindergartener to be doing so well in match is quite encouraging

- After School Program (ASP): My wife and I both work so our son doesn't ride the bus home, but he stays at ASP until we can pick him up (closes at 6 PM). There are lots of adults there and they have various activities for the kids to enjoy

- Administration: we have never had any trouble getting in touch with the administration to discuss any issue and we have even been able to arrive un-announced and still have face-to-face meetings with them.

- Other - Okay, so, this is crazy. There is a chess club for an hour each week where they learn the basic strategies of chess. I am playing chess with my five year old on the weekends. Seriously. I mean you can't make this stuff up.

If you have any questions about this, call me at 404-941-4538. If I can't answer right away, leave a message with what you are calling about and I will call you back as soon as I can. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The principal and teachers at Nickajack have surpassed my expectations! After several years at private school, we decided to take a chance on the public school. I was worried that my children would "backtrack" in public school but they are actually being more challenged because the school is required to take each child at their current level, and then push them to go farther. The teachers quickly started finding supplemental services for my children to keep them progressing at a "private school" pace. Mrs. Parks, the principal, is really a class act and the PTA and foundation are very strong. The foundation (only in its 2nd year) has already paid for 2 years of a computer lab instructor. I can only imagine that more "extras" will be in the future. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Amazing principal, great teachers - Behavior at school by the kids is great - check out those quiet halls! This is year 2 and we're happy! Close Quote

Schools Near Nickajack 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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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
Nickajack Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4555 Mavell Rd SE	Smyrna	30082	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 842-5814	1,260	83	15.1	43.7%	269 (21.3%)	674 (53.5%)	145 (11.5%)	63 (5.0%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	106 (8.4%)	65.4	376^th of 1222 public elementary schools	69.2%		59.7	436^th of 1238 public elementary schools	64.8%	60	57.9	53.3	49.8	47.0	$14,196	$336	$13,860
King Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1041 Reed Rd SE	Smyrna	30082	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 842-6944	1,101	81	13.5	26.1%	494 (44.9%)	322 (29.2%)	122 (11.1%)	62 (5.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	100 (9.1%)	83.7	189^th of 1222 public elementary schools	84.5%		87.5	156^th of 1238 public elementary schools	87.4%	33	63.0	69.3	58.9	63.4	$16,042	$352	$15,690
Teasley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3640 Spring Hill Pky SE	Smyrna	30080	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 437-5945	974	67	14.5	40.5%	172 (17.7%)	424 (43.5%)	97 (10.0%)	191 (19.6%)	7 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (8.5%)	56.4	476^th of 1222 public elementary schools	61.0%		68.4	344^th of 1238 public elementary schools	72.2%	132	50.9	54.3	45.1	38.2	$14,614	$321	$14,293
Norton Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3041 Gray Rd SE	Smyrna	30082	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 842-5833	643	63	10.1	—	33 (5.1%)	181 (28.1%)	390 (60.7%)	7 (1.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.5%)	33.8	775^th of 1222 public elementary schools	36.6%		21.8	975^th of 1238 public elementary schools	21.2%	200	35.1	36.7	38.1	33.7	$20,973	$919	$20,054
Russell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3920 S Hurt Rd SW	Smyrna	30082	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 437-5937	568	53	10.6	94.9%	40 (7.0%)	195 (34.3%)	296 (52.1%)	9 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.8%)	25.3	903^rd of 1222 public elementary schools	26.1%		25.5	920^th of 1238 public elementary schools	25.7%	17	27.1	32.8	36.0	27.0	$19,402	$810	$18,592
Argyle Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2420 Spring Rd SE	Smyrna	30080	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 842-6800	333	40	8.3	—	8 (2.4%)	112 (33.6%)	196 (58.9%)	9 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	35.6	745^th of 1222 public elementary schools	39.0%		27.3	885^th of 1238 public elementary schools	28.5%	140	33.9	53.3	33.3	26.7	$26,471	$877	$25,594
Smyrna Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1099 Fleming St SE	Smyrna	30080	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 842-6741	870	72	12.1	58.7%	187 (21.5%)	317 (36.4%)	264 (30.3%)	25 (2.9%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	70 (8.0%)	58.4	450^th of 1222 public elementary schools	63.2%		58	462^nd of 1238 public elementary schools	62.7%	12	52.8	53.4	42.5	44.7	$17,317	$351	$16,966
Belmont Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	605 Glendale Pl SE	Smyrna	30080	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 842-6810	267	33	8.0	—	10 (3.7%)	44 (16.5%)	201 (75.3%)	5 (1.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	32	804^th of 1222 public elementary schools	34.2%		19.9	997^th of 1238 public elementary schools	19.5%	193	59.5	36.2	18.4	13.2	$25,908	$854	$25,054
KIPP Soul Primary	Public, Charter	K-5	1445 Maynard Rd NW	Atlanta	30331	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(404) 759-6852	505	37	13.7	—	0 (0.0%)	496 (98.2%)	6 (1.2%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19.8	996^th of 1222 public elementary schools	18.5%		17.1	1046^th of 1238 public elementary schools	15.5%	50	20.0	23.9	13.3	41.4	$12,843	$1,240	$11,603
William J. Scott Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1752 Hollywood Rd NW	Atlanta	30318	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-7000	319	30	10.4	—	1 (0.3%)	256 (80.3%)	60 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	31.2	816^th of 1222 public elementary schools	33.2%		24.1	939^th of 1238 public elementary schools	24.2%	123	24.0	28.8	35.9	50.0	$35,447	$3,039	$32,407

Frequently Asked Questions about Nickajack Elementary School

How many students attend Nickajack Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,260 students attended Nickajack Elementary School.

Is Nickajack Elementary School a good school?

Nickajack Elementary School ranks 376^th of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Nickajack Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Nickajack Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Campbell Middle School
High : Campbell High School

What is the racial makeup of Nickajack Elementary School?

Students at Nickajack Elementary School are 53% African American, 21% White, 12% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

What district is Nickajack Elementary School in?

Cobb County

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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.