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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.

Dames Ferry Elementary School

Q: Is Dames Ferry Elementary School a good school?

Dames Ferry Elementary School ranks 351 st of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

351^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,222 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 71% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Dames Ferry Elementary School in Gray, GA, serves 613 students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade and is part of the Jones County School District, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 71st percentile statewide.

This school truly shines in the upper elementary grades. In the most recent testing cycle, 61% of 5th graders scored proficient or above in math—a full 20 percentage points higher than the district average and nearly 17 points above the state. Even more impressive, 66.2% of 5th graders were proficient in science, beating the district by 20 points and the state by 22 points. This isn't a one-year fluke; the school has consistently outperformed district and state averages in 5th grade science for three straight years. What's particularly notable is the growth pattern: Dames Ferry's 5th grade math scores are dramatically higher than its own 4th grade scores, while many other schools in the area see scores drop between those grades. This "upper grade effect" suggests the school has developed especially effective instruction for older elementary students, leaving them well-prepared for middle school, particularly in STEM subjects.

Beyond test scores, Dames Ferry keeps students in class. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 14.2% is well below the district average of 23.1% and even below the state average of 17.7%. Within Jones County, the school ranks second overall, but its 5th grade math and science scores actually exceed those of top-ranked Turner Woods Elementary by 15.5 and 10 points respectively. The contrast with Mattie Wells Elementary is stark—Dames Ferry's 5th grade math proficiency is triple that school's rate. The school also shows equitable results across genders, with both boys and girls ranking in the 71st percentile statewide. Per-student spending has grown to $15,093, reflecting a strong investment in programs that are clearly paying off in the upper grades.

613

Students ?

15.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,093

Per pupil spending ?

39.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

545 Ga Highway 18 W
Gray, GA 31032

(478) 986-2023

District: Jones County

Students who attend Dames Ferry Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Gray Station Middle School
High:	Jones County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.1%

African American:

13.4%

Two or more races:

4.6%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Dames Ferry Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 82nd percentile in 2016 → 71st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Georgia average (55% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Above the Georgia median (71st percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg46%

Georgia avg47%

351^st of 1,222

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 29%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 18% (2016) to top 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 4Elementary Schools in the Jones County

69^th of 202Jones 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	67.4	351 of 1222	71.3%	★★★★☆
2025	73.3	292 of 1238	76.4%	★★★★☆
2024	79.8	235 of 1236	81.0%	★★★★☆
2023	69.6	337 of 1223	72.4%	★★★★☆
2022	69.6	344 of 1220	71.8%	★★★★☆
2021	59.3	451 of 1214	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	71.5	311 of 1234	74.8%	★★★★☆
2018	66.8	360 of 1209	70.2%	★★★★☆
2017	65.6	366 of 1205	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	78.9	219 of 1233	82.2%	★★★★☆
2015	79.0	222 of 1240	82.1%	★★★★☆
2014	74.0	311 of 1231	74.7%	★★★★☆
2013	71.3	370 of 1225	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	75.2	274 of 1201	77.2%	★★★★☆
2011	73.3	345 of 1212	71.5%	★★★★☆
2010	70.3	369 of 1183	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	77.0	209 of 1133	81.6%	★★★★☆
2008	77.0	210 of 1134	81.5%	★★★★☆
2007	72.9	299 of 1125	73.4%	★★★★☆
2006	70.4	348 of 1101	68.4%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2025	53.5	336 of 892	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	80.9	122 of 879	86.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	65.2	347 of 1189	70.8%	★★★★☆
2025	71.3	306 of 1224	75.0%	★★★★☆
2024	81.2	218 of 1223	82.2%	★★★★☆
2023	67.8	348 of 1212	71.3%	★★★★☆
2022	68.3	342 of 1206	71.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	68.2	343 of 1186	71.1%	★★★★☆
2025	72.5	287 of 1225	76.6%	★★★★☆
2024	76.6	256 of 1220	79.0%	★★★★☆
2023	69.1	339 of 1210	72.0%	★★★★☆
2022	67.8	342 of 1209	71.7%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	56.5	169 of 466	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.1	144 of 565	74.5%	★★★★☆
2024	77.7	72 of 487	85.2%	★★★★☆
2022	60.2	117 of 415	71.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	45.5	380 of 703	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.2	340 of 769	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.1	293 of 772	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.8	380 of 775	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.0	388 of 779	50.2%	★★★☆☆

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)

Male (2026)71st percentile~ school

Female (2026)71st percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)64th percentile-8 vs school

African American (2025)62nd percentile-14 vs school

White (2026)46th percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Science66%+22 vs state

Mathematics52%+4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Dames 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 Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dames Ferry Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	545 Ga Highway 18 W	Gray	31032	Jones County	Jones County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 986-2023	613	40	15.3	39.8%	479 (78.1%)	82 (13.4%)	20 (3.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.6%)	67.4	351^st of 1222 public elementary schools	71.3%		73.3	292^nd of 1238 public elementary schools	76.4%	59	43.5	51.4	61.0	66.2	$15,093	$1,087	$14,007
Gray Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	365 Ga Highway 18 E	Gray	31032	Jones County	Jones County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 986-6295	512	37	14.0	49.4%	309 (60.4%)	156 (30.5%)	10 (2.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.6%)	49.3	551^st of 1222 public elementary schools	54.9%		65.7	380^th of 1238 public elementary schools	69.3%	171	41.9	57.0	38.5	37.1	$15,878	$987	$14,891
Turner Woods Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	144 Willie L Fluellen Dr	Gray	31032	Jones County	Jones County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 986-2222	590	40	14.7	35.1%	461 (78.1%)	86 (14.6%)	18 (3.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.7%)	70.5	319^th of 1222 public elementary schools	73.9%		80.4	230^th of 1238 public elementary schools	81.4%	89	71.8	51.8	45.5	56.2	$14,283	$804	$13,479
Mattie Wells Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	101 Mattie Wells Dr	Macon	31217	Bibb County	Jones County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 742-5959	584	41	14.4	53.6%	267 (45.7%)	258 (44.2%)	21 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.2%)	23.4	946^th of 1222 public elementary schools	22.6%		36.4	731^st of 1238 public elementary schools	41.0%	215	34.6	39.1	20.4	23.6	$15,112	$999	$14,113
Lane Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	990 Newport Rd	Macon	31210	Bibb County	Bibb County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 779-3150	484	32	15.3	64.9%	39 (8.1%)	370 (76.4%)	36 (7.4%)	13 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.4%)	36.4	727^th of 1222 public elementary schools	40.5%		33.8	779^th of 1238 public elementary schools	37.1%	52	43.5	40.0	30.4	34.0	$15,376	$2,003	$13,373
Rosa Taylor Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2976 Crestline Dr	Macon	31204	Bibb County	Bibb County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 779-3563	583	41	14.2	63.8%	78 (13.4%)	417 (71.5%)	56 (9.6%)	7 (1.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.6%)	14	1100^th of 1222 public elementary schools	10.0%		14.8	1097^th of 1238 public elementary schools	11.4%	3	30.6	25.7	13.3	21.1	$16,811	$2,514	$14,297
Martin Luther King Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1307 Shurling Dr	Macon	31211	Bibb County	Bibb County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 779-2100	675	42	16.0	79.4%	18 (2.7%)	621 (92.0%)	18 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	15 (2.2%)	30.8	823^rd of 1222 public elementary schools	32.7%		17.3	1043^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	15.8%	220	21.8	32.6	29.2	49.4	$14,717	$1,992	$12,725
Springdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4965 Northside Dr	Macon	31210	Bibb County	Bibb County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 779-3750	609	43	14.3	46.3%	176 (28.9%)	288 (47.3%)	38 (6.2%)	56 (9.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (7.7%)	60.7	421^st of 1222 public elementary schools	65.5%		59.8	435^th of 1238 public elementary schools	64.9%	14	50.0	64.6	36.2	47.0	$15,573	$1,548	$14,024
Burdell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	972 Fort Hill St	Macon	31217	Bibb County	Bibb County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 779-2937	433	34	12.9	76.9%	2 (0.5%)	384 (88.7%)	30 (6.9%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.0%)	36.8	722^nd of 1222 public elementary schools	40.9%		40.4	678^th of 1238 public elementary schools	45.2%	44	41.6	40.2	30.9	36.8	$17,626	$2,396	$15,230
Williams Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 Pursley St	Macon	31201	Bibb County	Bibb County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 779-3660	294	25	11.7	84.7%	7 (2.4%)	264 (89.8%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.1%)	13.9	1101^st of 1222 public elementary schools	9.9%		8.9	1201^st of 1238 public elementary schools	3.0%	100	17.0	42.3	8.5	4.3	$19,630	$2,815	$16,816

Frequently Asked Questions about Dames Ferry Elementary School

How many students attend Dames Ferry Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 613 students attended Dames Ferry Elementary School.

What district is Dames Ferry Elementary School in?

Jones County

What is the racial makeup of Dames Ferry Elementary School?

Students at Dames Ferry Elementary School are 78% White, 13% African American, 5% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

Is Dames Ferry Elementary School a good school?

Dames Ferry Elementary School ranks 351^st of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Dames Ferry Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Gray Station Middle School
High : Jones County High 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.