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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.

Jefferson Academy

Q: Is Jefferson Academy a good school?

Jefferson Academy ranks 124 th of 1219 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 3-5

124^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,219 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 90% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Jefferson Academy is an elementary school in Jefferson, GA, serving 935 students in grades 3–5 as part of the highly rated Jefferson City district, which ranks in the 98th percentile statewide. The school has consistently ranked in the top 10–12% of Georgia elementary schools over the past decade, earning 4 or 5 stars every year since 2015–2016. In the most recent cycle, it ranked 124th out of 1,219 schools (90th percentile), a slight rebound from the prior year’s 88th percentile showing.

Jefferson Academy’s standout strength is mathematics. In 2025–2026, proficiency rates were 73% in 3rd grade, 70% in 4th grade, and 73.5% in 5th grade—roughly 25–30 percentage points above state averages. Science is also strong, with 5th grade proficiency at 63.7% versus 44.2% statewide. The school outperforms most nearby schools by 15–30 percentage points in math. For example, North Jackson Elementary posted 3rd grade math proficiency of 49.3%, and Holsenbeck Elementary was at 42.3%. Only Gum Springs Elementary rivals it, actually exceeding Jefferson Academy in 4th grade math (81.5% vs. 70%).

Beyond academics, Jefferson Academy excels at keeping students in class—its chronic absenteeism rate is just 7.4%, far below the state average of 17.7%. The school also achieves these results efficiently, spending $11,176 per student, the lowest among comparable schools (e.g., Maysville Elementary spends $17,195). The school is particularly effective with Hispanic students (ranking 45th of 503 schools statewide) and special education students (85th percentile). While African American students rank lower relative to peers, the school’s overall performance remains exceptional. For families in the Jefferson area, this is a clear academic standout, especially when compared to the broader set of elementary schools within a 10-mile radius.

935

Students ?

15.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,176

Per pupil spending ?

31%

Free/discounted lunch ?

99 Dragon Dr
Jefferson, GA 30549

(706) 367-2300

District: Jefferson City

Students who attend Jefferson Academy usually attend:

Middle:	Jefferson Middle School
High:	Jefferson High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.2%

Hispanic:

10.4%

Two or more races:

6.3%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Jefferson Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 88th percentile in 2016 → 90th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Georgia average (70% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 10% of Georgia elementary schools

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school70%

District avg70%

Georgia avg47%

124^th of 1,219

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 10%▲ up 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 201Jefferson City 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	90.2	124 of 1219	89.8%	★★★★☆
2025	87.8	150 of 1238	87.9%	★★★★☆
2024	92.1	108 of 1236	91.3%	★★★★★
2023	94.3	81 of 1223	93.4%	★★★★★
2022	94.8	75 of 1220	93.9%	★★★★★
2021	96.2	51 of 1214	95.8%	★★★★★
2019	90.5	112 of 1234	90.9%	★★★★★
2018	89.7	113 of 1209	90.7%	★★★★★
2017	85.2	157 of 1205	87.0%	★★★★☆
2016	85.3	152 of 1233	87.7%	★★★★☆
2015	86.2	152 of 1240	87.7%	★★★★☆
2014	83.9	95 of 1231	92.3%	★★★★★
2013	85.7	57 of 1225	95.3%	★★★★★
2012	86.8	48 of 1201	96.0%	★★★★★
2011	86.3	75 of 1212	93.8%	★★★★★
2010	89.0	40 of 1183	96.6%	★★★★★
2009	85.6	100 of 1133	91.2%	★★★★★
2008	85.5	98 of 1134	91.4%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	57.0	302 of 828	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	62.9	259 of 892	71.0%	★★★★☆
2024	81.0	121 of 879	86.2%	★★★★☆
2023	77.5	133 of 870	84.7%	★★★★☆
2022	71.7	203 of 876	76.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	88.4	135 of 1186	88.6%	★★★★☆
2025	88.8	125 of 1224	89.8%	★★★★☆
2024	91.3	110 of 1223	91.0%	★★★★★
2023	94.7	66 of 1212	94.6%	★★★★★
2022	93.6	84 of 1206	93.0%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	85.7	45 of 503	91.1%	★★★★★
2025	80.4	80 of 583	86.3%	★★★★☆
2024	94.5	26 of 565	95.4%	★★★★★
2023	97.7	9 of 535	98.3%	★★★★★
2022	91.9	29 of 516	94.4%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	90.5	116 of 1183	90.2%	★★★★★
2025	85.0	173 of 1225	85.9%	★★★★☆
2024	91.3	104 of 1220	91.5%	★★★★★
2023	92.8	89 of 1210	92.6%	★★★★★
2022	94.8	67 of 1209	94.5%	★★★★★

Migrant

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2023	80.7	4 of 33	87.9%	★★★★★
2022	75.7	6 of 36	83.3%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	65.2	12 of 26	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.3	23 of 56	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.6	25 of 46	45.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.8	17 of 39	56.4%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	81.0	69 of 465	85.2%	★★★★☆
2025	65.9	141 of 565	75.0%	★★★★☆
2024	66.8	120 of 487	75.4%	★★★★☆
2023	85.9	43 of 455	90.5%	★★★★★
2022	81.2	47 of 415	88.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	79.4	142 of 700	79.7%	★★★★☆
2025	73.7	190 of 769	75.3%	★★★★☆
2024	80.1	139 of 772	82.0%	★★★★☆
2023	85.1	103 of 775	86.7%	★★★★☆
2022	87.2	83 of 779	89.3%	★★★★☆

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)

Hispanic (2026)91st percentile~ school

Male (2026)90th percentile~ school

Female (2026)89th percentile~ school

Migrant (2023)88th percentile-5 vs school

Special Education (2026)85th percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)80th percentile-10 vs school

African American (2026)64th percentile-26 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)54th percentile-36 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics72%+25 vs state

Science64%+20 vs state

3.0

4 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, July 28, 2018

Jefferson Academy is a wonderful school. The reviews that are so negative are made by someone who can’t spell princiPAL correctly which makes me wonder if they were made by the same person. The teachers are caring and the current principal communicates and responds to my concerns within the day and genuinely listens to my perspective and ideas. I feel like I am a partner with my child’s teachers and the administration in the building and I am so thankful. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, June 16, 2015

School has a military, openly hostile attitude. Students are crowded, very stressful environment with teachers yelling constantly. My son was picked on and the teacher joined in with the students doing the picking. The principle doesn't care and reigns over everything like a dictator. You better not bother her with your kid's problems. I withdrew my son because he was afraid. Nobody from the school ever asked me anything. They absolutely have no caring at all for the students. Horrible experience here, especially since everything has been so wonderful and nurturing at our new school. The damage they did has been reversed by the great teachers we have now. My son has a terrific group of friends for life. I know things don't have to be like they are at Jefferson. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, May 25, 2014

Don't believe the hype about this school, look up college readiness statistics from this district. The culture here is one of browbeating, starting from the principle on down so that the kids are mean to each other because there is so much yelling,and the school is uncomfortably overcrowded. 9 year olds here are eloquent in all usage of the "f" word. Teachers will tell you they can't do anything because it all comes from home.My child told me he would have to "be like them" in order to stay here. There is open resentment towards out of district families, yet the school is packed with paying kids from out of district to jack up test scores. It is interesting that Jeffersonians have an air of superiority, considering the new CVS in town is a big deal.We are now at another public school where the teachers care about the children, and the kids are nice and look out for each other. At our new school they also teach kids how to be decent human beings. Close Quote

Schools Near Jefferson Academy

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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 Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Jefferson Academy	Public	3-5	99 Dragon Dr	Jefferson	30549	Jackson County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 367-2300	935	61	15.2	31.0%	694 (74.2%)	55 (5.9%)	97 (10.4%)	25 (2.7%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	59 (6.3%)	90.2	124^th of 1219 public elementary schools	89.8%		87.8	150^th of 1238 public elementary schools	87.9%	26	73.0	70.0	73.5	63.7	$11,176	$330	$10,847
Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	415 Hoschton St	Jefferson	30549	Jackson County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 367-8242	1,011	77	13.1	30.3%	760 (75.2%)	68 (6.7%)	104 (10.3%)	20 (2.0%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (5.5%)								(n/a)					$13,649	$476	$13,174
Gum Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	600 Gum Springs Church Rd	Jefferson	30549	Jackson County	Jackson County	No	No	No	No	(706) 654-5580	939	69	13.7	31.9%	698 (74.3%)	49 (5.2%)	106 (11.3%)	39 (4.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (4.7%)	86	166^th of 1219 public elementary schools	86.4%		86.1	170^th of 1238 public elementary schools	86.3%	4	64.0	81.5	65.1	56.4	$13,852	$450	$13,403
Heroes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4001 Hwy 332	Hoschton	30548	Jackson County	Jackson County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(706) 654-5013	994	69	14.4	51.8%	540 (54.3%)	114 (11.5%)	230 (23.1%)	46 (4.6%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	59 (5.9%)	65.9	370^th of 1219 public elementary schools	69.6%					(n/a)	59.1	52.3	53.4	44.7	$12,023	$300	$11,723
East Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1531 Hoods Mill Rd	Commerce	30529	Jackson County	Jackson County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 336-7900	634	53	12.0	62.3%	455 (71.8%)	23 (3.6%)	110 (17.4%)	5 (0.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.0%)	75.8	261^st of 1219 public elementary schools	78.6%		76.8	260^th of 1238 public elementary schools	79.0%	1	69.7	58.9	55.0	50.0	$14,884	$557	$14,327
South Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1630 New Kings Bridge Rd	Athens	30607	Clarke County	Jackson County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 208-3552	715	62	11.5	71.2%	476 (66.6%)	55 (7.7%)	136 (19.0%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (5.6%)	52.1	527^th of 1219 public elementary schools	56.8%		52.2	532^nd of 1238 public elementary schools	57.0%	5	50.9	41.9	49.6	39.4	$16,638	$750	$15,888
North Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1880 Old Gainesville Hwy	Talmo	30575	Jackson County	Jackson County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 693-2246	517	42	12.3	63.1%	240 (46.4%)	83 (16.1%)	161 (31.1%)	13 (2.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.3%)	53.4	517^th of 1219 public elementary schools	57.6%		56.7	481^st of 1238 public elementary schools	61.1%	36	49.3	49.5	47.3	37.5	$15,052	$651	$14,401
Commerce Elementary School	Public	3-4	825 Lakeview Dr	Commerce	30529	Jackson County	Commerce City	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 335-1801	308	22	13.8	79.9%	190 (61.7%)	38 (12.3%)	56 (18.2%)	6 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.2%)								(n/a)	55.3	57.2			$13,143	$514	$12,629
Maysville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	9270 Highway 82 Spur	Maysville	30558	Banks County	Jackson County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 652-2241	468	42	11.0	78.4%	296 (63.2%)	16 (3.4%)	121 (25.9%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.6%)	62	409^th of 1219 public elementary schools	66.4%		55.9	491^st of 1238 public elementary schools	60.3%	82	53.5	64.3	54.3	28.8	$17,195	$771	$16,424
Commerce Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	395 Minish Dr	Commerce	30529	Jackson County	Commerce City	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 335-5587	456	34	13.4	84.6%	284 (62.3%)	46 (10.1%)	86 (18.9%)	10 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.4%)								(n/a)					$15,025	$1,116	$13,909

Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson Academy

Is Jefferson Academy a good school?

Jefferson Academy ranks 124^th of 1219 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Jefferson Academy?

Students at Jefferson Academy are 74% White, 10% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 6% African American, 3% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Jefferson Academy attend?

Students who attend Jefferson Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jefferson Middle School
High : Jefferson High School

How many students attend Jefferson Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 935 students attended Jefferson Academy.

What district is Jefferson Academy in?

Jefferson City

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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.