Summary:
ZIP code 30316 in Atlanta, Georgia, is served by 8 schools—2 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, and 2 alternative—enrolling about 4,329 students across five districts, including Atlanta Public Schools, DeKalb County, and the Department of Juvenile Justice, creating a wide range of educational experiences within a few square miles.
The clear standout is Burgess-Peterson Elementary School, ranked in the 90th percentile statewide with math proficiency 25–35 points above state averages and the lowest chronic absenteeism in the area at 7.5%. Atlanta Neighborhood Charter - Middle is also exceptional, with Algebra I proficiency near 89% and only 15% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. At the other end, McNair High School struggles most—ranked in the 18th percentile, with a 77.3% graduation rate, 46.9% chronic absenteeism, and all test scores far below state averages. Barack H. Obama Elementary Magnet School of Technology also lags, with math proficiency roughly 13–19 points below state averages. Meanwhile, Maynard Jackson High School beats the odds: despite 81.79% poverty and 37.8% absenteeism, it posts a 91.1% graduation rate, above both district and state averages.
Economic factors track closely with performance—schools with lower poverty rates, like Burgess-Peterson and Atlanta Neighborhood Charter, dramatically outperform those with 100% poverty, such as Barack Obama and McNair. Chronic absenteeism is a hidden crisis at the high school level, with McNair near 47% and Maynard Jackson at 37.8%. The two Genesis Innovation Academy campuses show mixed results, with girls generally ahead in math but both struggling in 8th grade social studies. Spending per student does not predict success—the lowest-spending Genesis schools outperform Barack Obama in several metrics. Note that 2025-2026 English Language Arts scores are not yet available; they will be released in December, so no conclusions should be drawn from their absence.
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