Excelsior Village Academies

Excelsior Village Academies is a small K-8 school in Stockbridge, GA, serving just 90 students under the State Specialty Schools II- Excelsior Village Academies district, which ranks near the bottom of Georgia districts.

This school presents a striking paradox: it spends more per student than any nearby school—$19,727 annually—yet achieves some of the lowest test scores in the area. For example, 3rd grade math proficiency sits at 25.9% compared to the state average of roughly 40-50%, and 5th grade science shows a 0% proficiency rate versus a 44.2% state average. By contrast, Woodland Elementary (1.45 miles away) reaches 44.3% math proficiency with a 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio, while Austin Road Elementary (2.4 miles away) achieves 53.5% science proficiency despite serving a higher-poverty population. Even more telling, East Lake Elementary (5.49 miles away) posts 64-71% math proficiency with a 4-star rating, proving strong outcomes are possible in this region.

The school's student-teacher ratio of 22.5:1 is the highest among all comparison schools (nearby schools range from 12.3 to 15.5), suggesting that despite high spending, students may not receive the individualized attention typical of other area schools. On a positive note, chronic absenteeism at 17.7% matches the state average and is better than several neighbors like Stockbridge Elementary (25.9%) and Murphey Candler Elementary (30.9%), meaning students are showing up—but the instructional model may not be effectively meeting their needs. For families weighing options, nearby Henry County schools like East Lake, Austin Road, and Woodland appear to offer substantially stronger academic outcomes at lower per-student costs.