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Bethlehem Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

988^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,219 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 19% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Bethlehem Elementary School in Locust Grove, GA, serves approximately 630 students in grades PK-5 as part of Henry County Schools. The school currently holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the 19th percentile statewide, with about 71% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

One of the most encouraging trends at Bethlehem Elementary is the steady decline in chronic absenteeism, which has dropped from 33.4% in 2021-2022 to 22.3% in the most recent school year. While this remains above the district average of 19.6% and state average of 17.7%, it shows meaningful progress. However, academic performance has not yet followed suit. A notable pattern is the decline in math proficiency as students advance: 3rd graders reached 34.9% proficiency, 4th graders 30.5%, but 5th graders fell to just 17%. Interestingly, 5th grade science proficiency (26%) outpaced math by 9 points, suggesting relative strength in science instruction. When compared to nearby schools, the gaps are striking—New Hope Elementary (7 miles away) and Rocky Creek Elementary (5.91 miles) both rank in the 58th-61st percentile and achieve more than double Bethlehem's 5th grade math proficiency, despite serving similar percentages of economically disadvantaged students. Both of those schools also have significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates (11.8% and 14.4%, respectively), suggesting attendance may be a key lever for improvement.

Bethlehem Elementary spends approximately $13,377 per student, which is lower than several nearby schools like Locust Grove Elementary ($15,566) and Walnut Creek Elementary ($14,990), though Unity Grove Elementary spends less ($12,826) and achieves better outcomes. Subgroup data shows female students rank in the 12th percentile statewide compared to 25th for males, indicating a particular need to support girls' academic growth. With improving attendance, a stable population, and competitive spending, Bethlehem has solid foundations—but the persistent grade-level declines suggest instructional strategies in upper elementary grades may need fresh attention.

630

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,377

Per pupil spending ?

70.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1000 Academic Pkwy
Locust Grove, GA 30248

(770) 288-8571

District: Henry County

Students who attend Bethlehem Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Luella Middle School
High:	Luella High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

78.7%

Hispanic:

8.1%

Two or more races:

5.7%

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Compare Bethlehem Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

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.

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 37th percentile in 2016 → 19th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Georgia average (27% vs 47% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (19th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 18 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school27%

District avg34%

Georgia avg47%

988^th of 1,219

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 19%▼ down 18 pts since 2016

From bottom 37% (2016) to bottom 19% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

23^rd of 28Elementary Schools in the Henry County

141^st of 201Henry 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	20.1	988 of 1219	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.7	881 of 1238	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.2	1012 of 1236	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.9	911 of 1223	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.3	817 of 1220	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.0	812 of 1214	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.2	844 of 1234	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.8	738 of 1209	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	38.6	719 of 1205	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	37.3	773 of 1233	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	49.2	584 of 1240	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	59.4	597 of 1231	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	59.1	614 of 1225	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.8	454 of 1201	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	72.3	356 of 1212	70.6%	★★★★☆
2010	71.4	341 of 1183	71.2%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	29.3	598 of 828	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	39.3	515 of 892	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	27.3	671 of 879	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.6	469 of 870	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.8	424 of 876	51.6%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	16.4	1042 of 1186	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.9	903 of 1224	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.3	967 of 1223	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.8	868 of 1212	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.3	800 of 1206	33.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	26.2	883 of 1183	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	29.6	841 of 1225	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	17.7	1036 of 1220	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.2	930 of 1210	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.4	815 of 1209	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2025	17.1	511 of 565	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

African American (2026)28th percentile+9 vs school

Male (2026)25th percentile+6 vs school

Female (2026)12th percentile-7 vs school

Special Education (2025)10th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics28%-20 vs state

Science26%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Bethlehem 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	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
Bethlehem Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Academic Pkwy	Locust Grove	30248	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 288-8571	630	40	15.7	70.6%	28 (4.4%)	496 (78.7%)	51 (8.1%)	18 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.7%)	20.1	988^th of 1219 public elementary schools	18.9%		27.7	881^st of 1238 public elementary schools	28.8%	107	34.9	30.5	17.0	26.0	$13,377	$407	$12,970
Tussahaw Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	225 Coan Dr	McDonough	30252	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 957-0164	886	58	15.3	78.4%	36 (4.1%)	690 (77.9%)	105 (11.9%)	6 (0.7%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.2%)	11	1139^th of 1219 public elementary schools	6.6%		14.9	1094^th of 1238 public elementary schools	11.6%	45	27.3	23.7	10.9	16.2	$13,934	$1,145	$12,790
Luella Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	575 Walker Dr	Locust Grove	30248	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 288-2035	616	43	14.2	70.8%	35 (5.7%)	476 (77.3%)	57 (9.3%)	12 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.8%)	24.7	920^th of 1219 public elementary schools	24.5%		30.9	821^st of 1238 public elementary schools	33.7%	99	43.7	34.3	20.6	21.6	$14,257	$672	$13,585
Locust Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	95 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd	Locust Grove	30248	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 957-5416	576	44	13.0	75.0%	62 (10.8%)	424 (73.6%)	48 (8.3%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.8%)	28.1	861^st of 1219 public elementary schools	29.4%		33.6	787^th of 1238 public elementary schools	36.4%	74	36.2	20.0	27.1	41.1	$15,566	$797	$14,769
Unity Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1180 Leguin Mill Rd	Locust Grove	30248	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 898-8886	882	59	15.0	68.3%	280 (31.7%)	410 (46.5%)	112 (12.7%)	11 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (7.8%)	34.2	765^th of 1219 public elementary schools	37.2%		37.9	714^th of 1238 public elementary schools	42.3%	51	31.9	36.5	38.9	36.9	$12,826	$404	$12,422
Oakland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	551 Highway 81 W	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 954-1901	462	32	14.6	76.4%	12 (2.6%)	373 (80.7%)	39 (8.4%)	9 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.1%)	27.2	875^th of 1219 public elementary schools	28.2%		18.9	1017^th of 1238 public elementary schools	17.9%	142	46.8	34.2	20.0	18.4	$17,653	$1,179	$16,474
Wesley Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	685 McDonough Pkwy	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 914-1889	564	38	15.0	83.3%	8 (1.4%)	463 (82.1%)	52 (9.2%)	6 (1.1%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (5.5%)	11.8	1128^th of 1219 public elementary schools	7.5%		16.6	1058^th of 1238 public elementary schools	14.5%	70	22.1	25.9	17.5	17.5	$14,300	$1,024	$13,276
Birch Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	850 Willow Lane	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(770) 957-6601	745	47	16.0	74.4%	34 (4.6%)	506 (67.9%)	164 (22.0%)	10 (1.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (3.9%)	11.9	1125^th of 1219 public elementary schools	7.7%					(n/a)	23.1	20.7	16.0	23.0	$12,776	$1,016	$11,760
Rocky Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	803 Hampton Locust Grove Rd	Hampton	30228	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 707-1469	696	47	14.9	67.2%	110 (15.8%)	451 (64.8%)	70 (10.1%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (8.3%)	54.3	509^th of 1219 public elementary schools	58.2%		48.5	586^th of 1238 public elementary schools	52.7%	77	56.2	47.9	44.4	35.8	$13,920	$411	$13,509
Walnut Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3535 McDonough Pkwy	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 288-8561	712	49	14.5	74.7%	33 (4.6%)	536 (75.3%)	79 (11.1%)	12 (1.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.0%)	21	969^th of 1219 public elementary schools	20.5%		20.4	989^th of 1238 public elementary schools	20.1%	20	26.5	29.3	28.4	28.3	$14,990	$1,074	$13,916

Frequently Asked Questions about Bethlehem Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Bethlehem Elementary School?

Students at Bethlehem Elementary School are 79% African American, 8% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% White, 3% Asian.

What district is Bethlehem Elementary School in?

Henry County

What schools do graduates of Bethlehem Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Luella Middle School
High : Luella High School

How many students attend Bethlehem Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 630 students attended Bethlehem Elementary School.

Is Bethlehem Elementary School a good school?

Bethlehem Elementary School ranks in the bottom 18.9% of Georgia elementary schools.

Rate Bethlehem Elementary School!

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Latest Georgia data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataNewAug 6, 2026

2025–26 Milestones Assessment scoresNewAug 6, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 Milestones Assessment scores (updated)NewAug 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.