Schools in Zip Code 30035

ZIP code 30035 in Decatur, Georgia, is served by four schools—one elementary, two middle schools, and one combined middle/high school—that collectively educate about 1,934 students, with all students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, reflecting a high-poverty area.

For parents, the standout option is The Anchor School, a state specialty school serving grades 6-12 with just 208 students. Despite spending roughly $5,000 less per student than the DeKalb County schools, it posts the best results across most subjects. Its 8th grade math proficiency (22.1%) more than doubles that of Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School (10.9%) and nearly triples Miller Grove Middle School (7.6%). The Anchor School also has the lowest chronic absenteeism at 21.5%, compared to 38-42% at the other three schools, and its 7th grade ELA proficiency (33%) approaches the state average (40.7%), far exceeding both middle schools. Among the traditional schools, Canby Lane Elementary School shows bright spots in 5th grade, with math proficiency (31.6%) matching the district average and ELA (35.6%) exceeding it in the prior year, though its overall ranking slipped to the 15th percentile. Between the two DeKalb middle schools, neither consistently outperforms the other—Miller Grove leads in 6th grade math (14.6% vs. 9.8%) and 8th grade social studies (7.5% vs. 5.6%), while Bethune edges ahead in 8th grade math (10.9% vs. 7.6%) and science (16% vs. 15%).

The most pressing issue across this ZIP code is chronic absenteeism, which runs more than double the state average (17.7%) at the three DeKalb schools, directly correlating with lower achievement. Social studies is the weakest subject, with 8th grade proficiency between 2.4% and 7.5% versus the 40.2% state average. Bethune Middle shows a concerning three-year ranking decline (from 15th to 7th percentile) and the highest absenteeism (41.7%), suggesting it may need the most urgent intervention. Year-over-year volatility in scores, such as Canby Lane's 5th grade science dropping from 45.1% to 25%, points to instability that parents should monitor closely.