Summary:
Zip code 30183, encompassing the Waleska area in Cherokee County, Georgia, is served by one elementary school, R. M. Moore Elementary School, which educates students in grades PK through 5 with a substantial enrollment of 1,042 students.
R. M. Moore Elementary School is a large, high-poverty school showing positive momentum. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 8.0% is a standout strength, dramatically lower than the state average of 17.7% and the Cherokee County district average of 10.2%. The school has also improved its state ranking from the 50th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 57th percentile in 2025–2026, earning a 3-star rating. Despite 65.36% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, the school exceeds state averages in 3rd and 4th grade Mathematics proficiency (52.3% vs. 48.3% and 56.3% vs. 50.1%, respectively). Year-over-year, mathematics scores improved across all grade levels, with 3rd grade jumping an impressive 13.2 percentage points. The school maintains a favorable 12.2:1 student-to-teacher ratio and spends $16,359 per student.
However, significant challenges remain. There is a dramatic drop in 5th grade Mathematics proficiency, which at 38.2% is 18.1 points lower than 4th grade, a pattern seen in consecutive years. Science scores are the lowest subject area, with 5th grade proficiency at 33.8%, trailing the state by 10.4 points and the district by 19.5 points. While the school outperforms the state in early-grade math, it consistently trails its own district across nearly all subjects, with the largest gaps in 5th grade math (-20.1 points) and science (-19.5 points). English Language Arts scores from the prior year also lagged both district and state averages. This mixed picture suggests that while the school's attendance and early-grade math efforts are paying off, targeted attention to upper-elementary math, science, and ELA will be critical for continued progress.
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