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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.

Heards Ferry Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

13^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,222 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 99% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Heards Ferry Elementary School in Atlanta's Fulton County serves 699 students from Pre-K through 5th grade and has earned a reputation as one of the top elementary schools in Georgia, ranking 13th out of 1,219 schools statewide in the most recent cycle—a 99th percentile performance with a 5-star rating.

Heards Ferry's academic results are exceptional across the board. In mathematics, proficiency rates reach 90.9% in 3rd grade, 92.7% in 4th grade, and 84.9% in 5th grade—roughly 30 to 40 percentage points above state averages. Science proficiency in 5th grade stands at 78.3%, compared to 44.2% statewide. These numbers place Heards Ferry well ahead of most nearby schools, though Sope Creek Elementary (ranked 22nd) and Jackson Elementary (ranked 52nd) are close competitors. The gap widens dramatically with other neighbors: Spalding Drive Elementary ranks 121st, while Brumby Elementary and Lake Forest Elementary fall far behind. Heards Ferry also maintains a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of 3.6%, compared to 16.6% district-wide and 17.7% statewide—a fraction of the rates seen at Sedalia Park Elementary (22.1%) or Brumby (25.7%).

What makes Heards Ferry particularly noteworthy is its efficiency and consistency. The school spends $17,550 per student—less than several nearby schools that perform far worse, including Argyle Elementary ($26,471) and Jackson ($28,654)—and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 13.6:1, larger than many peers yet with superior results. Heards Ferry has never ranked below the 97th percentile statewide in the past decade, demonstrating sustained excellence across different student cohorts. The school also performs strongly across subgroups, with female students ranking 7th and male students 24th statewide. While the school's free/reduced lunch rate (10.87%) reflects a relatively affluent student body, Heards Ferry still outperforms schools with similar demographics, suggesting that instructional quality and school culture play a significant role in its success.

699

Students ?

13.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,550

Per pupil spending ?

10.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

6151 Powers Ferry Rd
Sandy Springs, GA 30339

(470) 254-6190

District: Fulton County

Students who attend Heards Ferry Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ridgeview Charter School
High:	Riverwood International Charter School

Racial breakdown:

White:

68.4%

African American:

10.9%

Hispanic:

8.9%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Heards Ferry Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 99th percentile in 2016 → 99th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Georgia average (87% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 1% of Georgia elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Fulton County

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school87%

District avg60%

Georgia avg47%

13^th of 1,222

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 1%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 60Elementary Schools in the Fulton County

48^th of 202Fulton 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	98.4	13 of 1222	98.9%	★★★★★
2025	98.5	15 of 1238	98.8%	★★★★★
2024	98.9	9 of 1236	99.3%	★★★★★
2023	99.2	7 of 1223	99.4%	★★★★★
2022	98.5	20 of 1220	98.4%	★★★★★
2021	97.9	26 of 1214	97.9%	★★★★★
2019	96.9	30 of 1234	97.6%	★★★★★
2018	96.8	36 of 1209	97.0%	★★★★★
2017	98.6	14 of 1205	98.8%	★★★★★
2016	98.3	17 of 1233	98.6%	★★★★★
2015	97.5	27 of 1240	97.8%	★★★★★
2014	82.7	129 of 1231	89.5%	★★★★☆
2013	83.9	103 of 1225	91.6%	★★★★★
2012	83.5	113 of 1201	90.6%	★★★★★
2011	86.8	63 of 1212	94.8%	★★★★★
2010	85.6	92 of 1183	92.2%	★★★★★
2009	87.7	77 of 1133	93.2%	★★★★★
2008	53.6	602 of 1134	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	54.9	586 of 1125	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2006	64.4	440 of 1101	60.0%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2025	87.4	80 of 892	91.0%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	98.8	7 of 1189	99.4%	★★★★★
2025	98.7	9 of 1224	99.3%	★★★★★
2024	98.5	9 of 1223	99.3%	★★★★★
2023	98.9	8 of 1212	99.3%	★★★★★
2022	98.2	21 of 1206	98.3%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	97.2	24 of 1186	98.0%	★★★★★
2025	97.6	21 of 1225	98.3%	★★★★★
2024	98.7	10 of 1220	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	99.1	9 of 1210	99.3%	★★★★★
2022	98.0	20 of 1209	98.3%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	94.1	14 of 703	98.0%	★★★★★
2025	95.2	13 of 769	98.3%	★★★★★
2024	95.4	12 of 772	98.4%	★★★★★
2023	97.4	5 of 775	99.4%	★★★★★
2022	95.6	13 of 779	98.3%	★★★★★

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 (2026)99th percentile~ school

White (2026)98th percentile~ school

Male (2026)98th percentile~ school

African American (2025)91st percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics90%+42 vs state

Science78%+34 vs state

3.5

6 ratings · 5 written reviews

5★3

4★0

3★1

2★1

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, December 16, 2018

The school has great facilities (recently built) and a great parent community (generally well educated, affluent Sandy Springs parents who care a lot about their kids' education), so it has the potential to be great. However, I have been very disappointed in the spotty quality of certain teachers. The school is transitioning and for it to be great, they need to find teachers at the level of the facilities, parents and kids. A few have been fabulous, but if your child is stuck with a bad situation it is a nightmare. One recent class had a teacher that went on maternity leave at the beginning of the year (couldn't help that) but never came back, abandoned the kids, so the kids never had a full time teacher all year, just substitutes. There are some teachers with serious relationship issues w/ the kids and uninspired teaching (teaching for tests), which parents hear about from gossip from previous years and nothing has been done about those personnel. It is depressing to hear about. This is not reflective of all the teachers at the school, but if it is your kid, it doesn't matter, it is a nightmare and you wonder what your kid is missing out on. The school needs to learn to take action with the kids interest in mind first and foremost, not let stuff linger. It will not be in the league of the other top schools in Atlanta until it cleans up these situations.. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, August 25, 2017

Love this school! Actively involved parents and teachers are dedicated. The new location and building are amazing! We couldn't be happier! Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, July 27, 2017

Wow. Couldn't possibly disagree more with this previous comment. Are we talking about the same school? The teachers, staff, and administration are incredible. They go out of their way to create a fun, warm, friendly and downright amazing environment for the students and families. I volunteer regularly in the classrooms and see first-hand the many innovative and interesting ways the children get to research, learn, and create. The parents (moms AND dads) are super-involved as well. I'm sorry that the prior poster's experience has been a disappointment.... How sad.
We couldn't be happier at Heards Ferry. My children and I are thrilled to belong to this fabulous school community! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, March 13, 2017

Positives: The building is new, students are from upper middle class to wealthy homes, it is generally psychically safe.
Negatives: Bad teachers, indifferent administration, curriculum taught in a robotic way, no concern for students' actual learning of a topic - only focused on standardized tests to pat themselves on the back. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Over crowded, building is in poor condition. Poor teachers. Close Quote

Schools Near Heards Ferry 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 Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Heards Ferry Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6151 Powers Ferry Rd	Sandy Springs	30339	Cobb County	Fulton County	No	No	No	No	(470) 254-6190	699	51	13.6	10.9%	478 (68.4%)	76 (10.9%)	62 (8.9%)	34 (4.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (6.7%)	98.4	13^th of 1222 public elementary schools	98.9%		98.5	15^th of 1238 public elementary schools	98.8%	2	90.9	92.7	84.9		78.3	$17,550	$511	$17,039
Sope Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3320 Paper Mill Rd SE	Marietta	30067	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 916-7085	1,104	76	14.5	9.1%	600 (54.3%)	62 (5.6%)	94 (8.5%)	276 (25.0%)	11 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (5.5%)	97.9	22^nd of 1222 public elementary schools	98.2%		97.7	29^th of 1238 public elementary schools	97.7%	7	83.1	89.0	90.6		78.4	$14,446	$359	$14,087
Brumby Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	815 Terrell Mill Rd SE	Marietta	30067	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 916-7070	963	89	10.7	78.3%	83 (8.6%)	522 (54.2%)	277 (28.8%)	20 (2.1%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (5.8%)	20.5	983^rd of 1222 public elementary schools	19.6%		16.4	1060^th of 1238 public elementary schools	14.4%	77	40.4	32.7	14.0		14.7	$19,035	$862	$18,173
Lake Forest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5920 Sandy Springs Cir	Sandy Springs	30328	Fulton County	Fulton County	No	No	No	Yes	(470) 254-8740	534	49	10.8	100.0%	21 (3.9%)	73 (13.7%)	414 (77.5%)	8 (1.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.8%)	39.4	678^th of 1222 public elementary schools	44.5%		34.6	758^th of 1238 public elementary schools	38.8%	80	39.7	41.0	46.2		28.2	$21,241	$1,434	$19,807
Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1325 Mount Paran Rd NW	Atlanta	30327	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(404) 802-8800	502	41	12.3	18.3%	267 (53.2%)	124 (24.7%)	39 (7.8%)	35 (7.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.8%)	96	53^rd of 1222 public elementary schools	95.7%		94.3	79^th of 1238 public elementary schools	93.6%	26	81.1	83.3	77.6		72.4	$28,654	$1,281	$27,373
High Point Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	520 Greenland Rd	Atlanta	30342	Fulton County	Fulton County	No	No	No	Yes	(470) 254-7716	684	51	13.5	56.9%	175 (25.6%)	231 (33.8%)	186 (27.2%)	46 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.7%)	71.4	309^th of 1222 public elementary schools	74.7%		73.1	296^th of 1238 public elementary schools	76.1%	13	56.8	64.7	45.3		54.6	$16,999	$937	$16,062
Amana Academy West Atlanta	Public, Charter	K-8	2200 Lake Park Drive SE	Smyrna	30080	Cobb County	State Specialty Schools II- Amana Academy West Atlanta	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(678) 331-9351	215	19	11.6	34.4%	30 (14.0%)	154 (71.6%)	16 (7.4%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.0%)	85.9	168^th of 1222 public elementary schools	86.3%		80.6	227^th of 1238 public elementary schools	81.7%	59	81.1	77.5	53.7	57.2	56.1	$17,823	$440	$17,383
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	99.1%	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
Sedalia Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2230 Lower Roswell Rd	Marietta	30068	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 509-5162	634	51	12.5	67.4%	137 (21.6%)	204 (32.2%)	239 (37.7%)	17 (2.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (5.5%)	45.1	615^th of 1222 public elementary schools	49.7%		41.3	670^th of 1238 public elementary schools	45.9%	55	47.3	48.1	34.6		36.7	$17,582	$803	$16,779
Eastvalley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	380 Holt Rd NE	Marietta	30068	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 578-7214	679	56	12.2	42.1%	272 (40.1%)	108 (15.9%)	187 (27.5%)	55 (8.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (8.2%)	78.4	237^th of 1222 public elementary schools	80.6%		68.9	339^th of 1238 public elementary schools	72.6%	102	66.4	49.5	68.1		59.8	$17,981	$318	$17,664

Frequently Asked Questions about Heards Ferry Elementary School

How many students attend Heards Ferry Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 699 students attended Heards Ferry Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Heards Ferry Elementary School?

Students at Heards Ferry Elementary School are 68% White, 11% African American, 9% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

Is Heards Ferry Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Heards Ferry Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 13^th of 1222 Georgia elementary schools.

What district is Heards Ferry Elementary School in?

Fulton County

What schools do graduates of Heards Ferry Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Heards Ferry Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ridgeview Charter School
High : Riverwood International Charter 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.