Ridge Road Elementary School

Ridge Road Elementary School in Sandersville, GA, serves 585 students in grades 3–5 as part of the Washington County district, where nearly all students (97%) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school had a remarkable turnaround year in 2025–2026. After several years ranking in the bottom quarter of Georgia elementary schools, Ridge Road jumped to the 55th percentile statewide—its best ranking in at least a decade. Math proficiency surged dramatically: 3rd grade math reached 52.7% and 4th grade hit 51.5%, both now above state averages, after sitting well below just two years earlier. The school also excels at keeping kids in class—its chronic absenteeism rate of 7.8% is less than half the district rate (20.4%) and far below the state average (17.7%). This continues a four-year trend of steady improvement, from 17.7% down to single digits. African American students at Ridge Road rank in the 74th percentile statewide, a standout strength. However, science remains a challenge: 5th grade science proficiency (30.5%) trails the state average (44.2%) by a wide margin, a gap that has persisted for years.

Compared to nearby Johnson County Elementary School (17 miles away), Ridge Road outperforms in math at every grade level—52.7% vs. 28.6% in 3rd grade, 51.5% vs. 34.5% in 4th, and 40.8% vs. 35.9% in 5th—despite serving a similarly high-poverty population. Ridge Road also has dramatically lower chronic absenteeism (7.8% vs. 20.9%). Johnson County edges ahead in 5th grade science (34.6% vs. 30.5%). Notably, Ridge Road Primary School (grades PK–2, same campus) has a chronic absenteeism rate nearly double the elementary school's (14.8%), suggesting attendance improves as students move up. Per-student spending at Ridge Road Elementary has risen steadily to $13,362. Note: ELA scores for 2025–2026 will be released in December, so we can't yet see if reading gains match the math progress.