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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.

Sam D. Panter Elementary School

Q: Is Sam D. Panter Elementary School a good school?

Sam D. Panter Elementary School ranks 597 th of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

597^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,222 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Sam D. Panter Elementary School in Hiram, GA, serves approximately 506 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Paulding County School District, where about 70% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school stands out for its strong mathematics performance. In the most recent testing year, 5th grade math proficiency (43.2%) actually exceeded the district average (42.9%), while 3rd and 4th grade scores came within a few points of both district and state averages. The previous year was even stronger, with 3rd grade math (52.6%) beating the district by over 5 points and the state by over 8 points. Beyond test scores, the school offers an exceptional student-teacher ratio of 10.7:1—the lowest among all nearby schools, including Nebo Elementary (14.5) and Hal Hutchens Elementary (12.5). Per-student spending is also notably higher at $17,082, which is over $3,700 more than Nebo and about $2,000 more than Allgood Elementary. The school has also made dramatic progress on attendance: chronic absenteeism has dropped from 27% in 2022-2023 to 15.3% now, which is below both district (16.8%) and state (17.7%) averages.

Compared to its immediate neighbors, Panter clearly outperforms Hiram Elementary (23rd percentile) and Bessie L. Baggett Elementary (24th percentile), ranking in the 51st percentile statewide. However, science remains a relative weakness, with 32.1% proficiency trailing the district (36.8%) and state (44.2%). While current English Language Arts (ELA) scores are not yet available, last year's 3rd grade ELA proficiency (41%) exceeded both district (32.5%) and state (34.9%) averages. The school has maintained a consistent 3-star rating for years, never falling below the 41st percentile since 2015—a picture of steady, reliable education that punches above its weight given its socioeconomic profile.

506

Students ?

10.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,082

Per pupil spending ?

70.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

190 Panter School Rd
Hiram, GA 30141

(770) 443-4303

District: Paulding County

Students who attend Sam D. Panter Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	J. A. Dobbins Middle School
High:	Hiram High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.6%

African American:

25.3%

Hispanic:

16.2%

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Compare Sam D. Panter Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 48th percentile in 2016 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Georgia median (51st percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

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

!Science scores 12 pts below the Georgia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school42%

District avg45%

Georgia avg47%

597^th of 1,222

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 19Elementary Schools in the Paulding County

88^th of 202Paulding 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	46.5	597 of 1222	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	59.4	443 of 1238	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.9	572 of 1236	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.9	426 of 1223	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.1	558 of 1220	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.9	498 of 1214	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	40.1	722 of 1234	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	52.5	524 of 1209	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.6	441 of 1205	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	45.1	639 of 1233	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	55.0	517 of 1240	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	53.2	699 of 1231	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	52.9	701 of 1225	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	41.7	832 of 1201	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2011	36.0	890 of 1212	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	34.0	898 of 1183	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	36.5	818 of 1133	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	30.1	892 of 1134	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	36.8	811 of 1125	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	42.5	726 of 1101	34.1%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	46.1	401 of 829	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.1	295 of 892	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.7	280 of 879	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.1	174 of 870	80.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.3	223 of 876	74.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	48.8	545 of 1189	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.0	339 of 1224	72.3%	★★★★☆
2024	48.8	576 of 1223	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.0	422 of 1212	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.8	559 of 1206	53.6%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	39.2	300 of 504	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	58.8	195 of 583	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.1	238 of 565	57.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	44.1	614 of 1186	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.1	569 of 1225	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.5	580 of 1220	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.1	414 of 1210	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.5	516 of 1209	57.3%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2023	46.9	198 of 455	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.2	234 of 415	43.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	29.0	525 of 703	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	41.6	436 of 769	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	27.9	577 of 772	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	36.1	486 of 775	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.3	622 of 779	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Special Education (2023)56th percentile-9 vs school

Female (2026)54th percentile+3 vs school

African American (2026)52nd percentile~ school

Male (2026)48th percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)40th percentile-11 vs school

White (2026)25th percentile-26 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics46%~ state avg

Science32%-12 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, December 16, 2021

Staff is unprofessional and seem to be there solely for a paycheck. Close Quote

Schools Near Sam D. Panter 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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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
Sam D. Panter Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	190 Panter School Rd	Hiram	30141	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 443-4303	506	47	10.7	70.6%	256 (50.6%)	128 (25.3%)	82 (16.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (7.3%)	46.5	597^th of 1222 public elementary schools	51.1%		59.4	443^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	64.2%	154	47.3	47.3	43.2	32.1	$17,082	$607	$16,475
Bessie L. Baggett Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	948 Williams Lake Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 460-1570	549	46	11.9	70.3%	174 (31.7%)	202 (36.8%)	127 (23.1%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.1%)	24.7	923^rd of 1222 public elementary schools	24.5%		28.1	873^rd of 1238 public elementary schools	29.5%	50	35.3	26.4	32.2	26.9	$16,107	$644	$15,462
Hiram Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Seaboard Ave	Hiram	30141	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 443-3392	797	60	13.2	71.5%	97 (12.2%)	483 (60.6%)	154 (19.3%)	8 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (6.6%)	23.9	937^th of 1222 public elementary schools	23.3%		25.7	915^th of 1238 public elementary schools	26.1%	22	30.7	30.8	34.4	23.8	$15,256	$1,001	$14,255
McGarity Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	262 Rakestraw Mill Rd	Hiram	30141	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 445-9007	572	43	13.3	58.0%	250 (43.7%)	193 (33.7%)	85 (14.9%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.8%)	47.6	579^th of 1222 public elementary schools	52.6%		45	627^th of 1238 public elementary schools	49.4%	48	60.9	47.3	38.0	28.0	$14,716	$356	$14,359
Hal Hutchens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	586 Clonts Rd	Douglasville	30134	Douglas County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 838-2683	613	49	12.5	71.1%	191 (31.2%)	260 (42.4%)	110 (17.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (8.0%)	48.3	568^th of 1222 public elementary schools	53.5%		43.7	641^st of 1238 public elementary schools	48.2%	73	44.3	47.9	44.7	36.6	$15,157	$641	$14,516
Nebo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2843 Nebo Rd	Dallas	30157	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 443-8777	874	60	14.5	60.1%	494 (56.5%)	200 (22.9%)	112 (12.8%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (7.4%)	36.9	721^st of 1222 public elementary schools	41.0%		39.8	685^th of 1238 public elementary schools	44.7%	36	49.2	41.6	30.3	28.0	$13,378	$595	$12,783
Powder Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4570 Grady Grier Dr	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3746	805	66	12.2	94.8%	62 (7.7%)	495 (61.5%)	169 (21.0%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	72 (8.9%)	44.2	629^th of 1222 public elementary schools	48.5%		37.5	719^th of 1238 public elementary schools	41.9%	90	34.8	51.1	46.6	33.6	$16,913	$794	$16,119
Varner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4761 Gaydon Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3775	705	57	12.4	60.7%	93 (13.2%)	368 (52.2%)	157 (22.3%)	19 (2.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (9.4%)	47.6	581^st of 1222 public elementary schools	52.5%		45.8	617^th of 1238 public elementary schools	50.2%	36	44.6	49.6	41.6	36.0	$18,612	$716	$17,896
Compton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3450 New Macland Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3700	593	60	9.8	—	42 (7.1%)	295 (49.7%)	231 (39.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.2%)	14.9	1082^nd of 1222 public elementary schools	11.5%		22.5	967^th of 1238 public elementary schools	21.9%	115	25.0	28.9	24.7	14.5	$20,218	$977	$19,241
Allgood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	312 Hart Rd	Dallas	30157	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 443-8070	811	63	12.8	72.3%	257 (31.7%)	318 (39.2%)	156 (19.2%)	6 (0.7%)	7 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (8.3%)	26.9	882^nd of 1222 public elementary schools	27.8%		25.2	927^th of 1238 public elementary schools	25.1%	45	35.8	25.9	29.7	35.1	$15,016	$1,030	$13,986

Frequently Asked Questions about Sam D. Panter Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Sam D. Panter Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Sam D. Panter Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : J. A. Dobbins Middle School
High : Hiram High School

What district is Sam D. Panter Elementary School in?

Paulding County

What is the racial makeup of Sam D. Panter Elementary School?

Students at Sam D. Panter Elementary School are 51% White, 25% African American, 16% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

How many students attend Sam D. Panter Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 506 students attended Sam D. Panter Elementary School.

Is Sam D. Panter Elementary School a good school?

Sam D. Panter Elementary School ranks 597^th of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Sam D. Panter Elementary 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.