Swainsboro Elementary School

Swainsboro Elementary School in Swainsboro, GA, serves 627 students in grades 3 through 5 within the Emanuel County district, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has shown meaningful progress in recent years, climbing from a ranking of 917th in 2024-2025 to 764th out of 1,219 Georgia elementary schools in 2025-2026—a jump from 1 star to 2 stars. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1 and spending of about $12,918 per student, the school is working to build on its momentum despite serving a high-poverty community.

The most encouraging news is in 3rd grade math, where proficiency surged from 34.6% to 50.8% in one year—now exceeding both the district (51.6%) and state (48.3%) averages. This suggests targeted interventions are working. However, those gains don't carry into upper grades: only 29.9% of 4th graders and 30.7% of 5th graders scored proficient in math, compared to state averages of 50.1% and 44.1%. Science is a relative bright spot in 5th grade at 31.8% proficiency, slightly outpacing math. The school also deserves credit for reducing chronic absenteeism from 19.8% to 15.1%, now below both district (17.4%) and state (17.7%) averages—a notable achievement given the high-poverty context.

Comparing to nearby Twin City Elementary School in the same district reveals a stark contrast: Twin City consistently ranks in the 70th percentile (4 stars) and posts dramatically higher scores, such as 70.8% proficiency in 5th grade math versus Swainsboro's 30.7%. This gap persists despite Twin City having a lower free/reduced lunch rate (82.9%) and a slightly higher student-teacher ratio (13.5:1), suggesting instructional practices or school culture may play a significant role. Swainsboro also spends less per student than Twin City ($12,918 vs. $13,296) and Metter Elementary School ($15,224). While the school is clearly improving, sustaining 3rd grade gains into later grades will be the key test of whether this upward trajectory continues.