Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

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.

Waddell Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1005^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,222 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 18% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Waddell Elementary School in Columbus, GA, serves 520 students in grades PK-5 within the Muscogee County School District, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Waddell currently holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the 18th percentile statewide, placing it in the bottom fifth of Georgia elementary schools. The school's ranking has stabilized in recent years after a dip, but a clear pattern emerges within its own test scores: performance declines as students move up in grade levels. In the most recent math data, 3rd graders hit 34.7% proficiency—actually above the district average of 29.9%—but 4th grade drops to 23% and 5th grade falls to 18.6%. This suggests early-grade instruction is a relative strength, but those gains fade by upper elementary. Science scores are closer to district averages, and 5th grade science (30%) outperforms nearby Wesley Heights Elementary School (20.5%) and Forrest Road Elementary School (27.5%).

The most encouraging trend is attendance. Chronic absenteeism has plummeted from 36.7% in 2022-2023 to 17.3% in 2025-2026—now below the district average (19.5%) and nearly matching the state rate. That's a 19-point improvement in three years, a significant institutional win that often precedes academic gains. Waddell also achieves its results while spending less per student ($13,137) than several nearby schools with similar or worse outcomes, including Gentian Elementary School ($17,419) and Reese Road Leadership Academy ($15,751). While Waddell trails high-performing neighbors like Britt David Elementary Computer Magnet Academy (100th percentile), it performs comparably to or better than several schools with similar demographics within a few miles. With attendance improving and 3rd grade math above district averages, Waddell appears positioned for potential gains—if the school can figure out how to sustain that early success through 4th and 5th grades.

520

Students ?

16.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,137

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

6101 Miller Rd
Columbus, GA 31907

(706) 569-3722

District: Muscogee County

Racial breakdown:

African American:

77.3%

White:

8.5%

Hispanic:

7.1%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Waddell Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 30th percentile in 2016 → 18th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Georgia average (26% vs 47% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (18th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 12 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school26%

District avg32%

Georgia avg47%

1,005^th of 1,222

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 18%▼ down 12 pts since 2016

From bottom 30% (2016) to bottom 18% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

14^th of 30Elementary Schools in the Muscogee County

149^th of 202Muscogee 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	19.4	1005 of 1222	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.3	1008 of 1238	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.1	1053 of 1236	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.0	927 of 1223	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	34.3	780 of 1220	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	23.0	907 of 1214	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.8	724 of 1234	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.9	842 of 1209	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	35.2	784 of 1205	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	29.5	867 of 1233	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	23.0	971 of 1240	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	50.8	734 of 1231	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	44.6	811 of 1225	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	46.1	779 of 1201	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	45.8	777 of 1212	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2010	66.1	443 of 1183	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	62.4	457 of 1133	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2008	75.9	229 of 1134	79.8%	★★★★☆
2007	76.8	228 of 1125	79.7%	★★★★☆
2006	85.5	85 of 1101	92.3%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	25.5	645 of 829	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.8	742 of 892	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	20.5	765 of 879	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.6	603 of 870	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.6	453 of 876	48.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	15.1	1061 of 1189	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	20.8	997 of 1224	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.8	1007 of 1223	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.7	960 of 1212	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.4	799 of 1206	33.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	27.9	856 of 1186	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.5	1009 of 1225	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.1	1061 of 1220	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.5	893 of 1210	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	36.6	737 of 1209	39.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)28th percentile+10 vs school

African American (2026)22nd percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)11th percentile-7 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Science30%-14 vs state

Mathematics25%-22 vs state

4.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★0

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Waddell Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a principal
Monday, November 25, 2019

Waddell's faculty and staff are building and supporting practices which consistently promote student growth and improve school climate. Close Quote

Schools Near Waddell Elementary School

Load more schools when map is moved

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)		Milestones Assessment Social Studies (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 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Waddell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6101 Miller Rd	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 569-3722	520	32	16.5	100.0%	44 (8.5%)	402 (77.3%)	37 (7.1%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.2%)	19.4	1005^th of 1222 public elementary schools	17.8%		19.3	1008^th of 1238 public elementary schools	18.6%	3	34.7	23.0	18.6		30.0			$13,137	$1,219	$11,918
Reese Road Leadership Academy	Public	K-5	3100 Reese Rd	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 569-3684	387	29	13.5	100.0%	62 (16.0%)	191 (49.4%)	99 (25.6%)	8 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (6.7%)	27	879^th of 1222 public elementary schools	28.1%		28.7	861^st of 1238 public elementary schools	30.5%	18	13.6	46.9	27.5		31.8			$15,751	$1,343	$14,408
Forrest Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6400 Forrest Rd	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 565-3061	278	18	15.8	100.0%	11 (4.0%)	230 (82.7%)	19 (6.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.1%)	19.7	999^th of 1222 public elementary schools	18.2%		6.9	1216^th of 1238 public elementary schools	1.8%	217	28.9	30.3	22.5		27.5			$17,834	$2,255	$15,580
Midland Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	7373 Psalmond Rd	Midland	31820	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 569-3664	622	39	16.1	88.6%	121 (19.5%)	302 (48.6%)	85 (13.7%)	43 (6.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (11.3%)	43.7	636^th of 1222 public elementary schools	48.0%		53.4	520^th of 1238 public elementary schools	58.0%	116	30.9	56.5	38.0		38.0			$13,015	$1,163	$11,852
Gentian Elementary School	Public	K-5	4201 Primrose Rd	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 569-3625	442	39	11.3	100.0%	92 (20.8%)	249 (56.3%)	49 (11.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (11.5%)	15.2	1079^th of 1222 public elementary schools	11.7%		27	891^st of 1238 public elementary schools	28.0%	188	24.6	33.4	7.2		26.2			$17,419	$2,282	$15,136
Eagle Ridge Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	7576 Raider Way	Columbus	31909	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 569-3746	658	48	13.7	75.7%	226 (34.3%)	220 (33.4%)	106 (16.1%)	37 (5.6%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	65 (9.9%)	57.2	463^rd of 1222 public elementary schools	62.1%		47.2	603^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	51.3%	140	64.9	47.9	37.8		41.5			$14,758	$1,446	$13,311
Wesley Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 Amber Dr	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 569-3733	349	27	13.1	100.0%	5 (1.4%)	302 (86.5%)	19 (5.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.3%)	19.1	1009^th of 1222 public elementary schools	17.4%		14.9	1093^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	11.7%	84	27.4	40.0	20.5		20.5			$15,729	$1,770	$13,960
Blanchard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3512 Weems Rd	Columbus	31909	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 748-2461	451	31	14.5	82.5%	203 (45.0%)	125 (27.7%)	63 (14.0%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	52 (11.5%)	57.7	460^th of 1222 public elementary schools	62.4%		61.1	423^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	65.8%	37	46.9	42.8	46.6		56.9			$14,919	$1,188	$13,731
Mathews Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7533 Lynch Rd	Midland	31820	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 569-3656	702	44	15.9	20.2%	272 (38.7%)	222 (31.6%)	117 (16.7%)	16 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	73 (10.4%)	55.7	488^th of 1222 public elementary schools	60.1%		70	327^th of 1238 public elementary schools	73.6%	161	48.3	63.1	27.0		48.6			$12,759	$576	$12,183
Georgetown Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	954 High Ln	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 565-2980	394	28	14.3	100.0%	14 (3.6%)	329 (83.5%)	29 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.8%)	16.1	1059^th of 1222 public elementary schools	13.3%		9.2	1195^th of 1238 public elementary schools	3.5%	136	15.4	20.0	12.1		39.7			$14,605	$1,735	$12,869

Frequently Asked Questions about Waddell Elementary School

How many students attend Waddell Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 520 students attended Waddell Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Waddell Elementary School?

Students at Waddell Elementary School are 77% African American, 8% White, 7% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

Is Waddell Elementary School a good school?

Waddell Elementary School ranks in the bottom 17.8% of Georgia elementary schools.

What district is Waddell Elementary School in?

Muscogee County

Rate Waddell Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

GAGeorgia Elementary School Rankings

GAGeorgia District Rankings

Schools in Columbus, GA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Waddell Elementary School!

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.