Schools in Zip Code 30236

The 15 schools in zip code 30236, serving the Jonesboro area within the Clayton County School District, enroll roughly 10,600 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades, with nearly every student qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

This zip code contains two dramatically different educational experiences. At the top, Elite Scholars Academy School ranks 7th statewide with 97.3% Algebra I proficiency and a 100% graduation rate, while Martha Ellen Stilwell School for the Performing Arts also excels at 65.1% Algebra I proficiency with a 100% graduation rate. Both are choice schools achieving results roughly double the state average. Meanwhile, traditional zone schools struggle significantly — Jonesboro High School posts 31.7% Algebra I proficiency, and Perry Career Academy - Eula Wilburn Ponds Perry Center for sits at just 2.2% with a 69.6% graduation rate and 50.1% chronic absenteeism. The most promising trend is at Mount Zion High School, which jumped from the 21st to 54th percentile in one year, improving Algebra I proficiency from 27.6% to 42.1%.

Chronic absenteeism emerges as the clearest predictor of success. Schools with attendance above 90% — including Kay R Pace Elementary School of the Arts (3.0% absenteeism) and M. D. Roberts Middle School (8.5%) — consistently outperform peers with high absenteeism like Lee Street Elementary School (37.1%). M.D. Roberts also showed remarkable improvement, boosting Algebra I proficiency by 40 points. At the elementary level, Arnold Elementary School and Kay R Pace lead with 3rd grade math proficiency near 41-44%, while Lee Street trails at 9.1%. Spending per student varies from $12,568 to $17,275 but shows no correlation with outcomes — Elite Scholars spends near the middle yet achieves the best results, proving that school culture and attendance matter more than funding alone.