Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 30474

Zip code 30474 in Vidalia, Georgia, is served by two elementary schools within the Vidalia City district, together educating about 1,078 students across grades PK-5, with every student qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Sally Dailey Meadows Elementary School (grades 2-5) is the only school in the area with published test scores, and they reveal consistent academic challenges. In math, proficiency rates range from 22.3% to 25.6% across grades 3-5, which is roughly 22-25 points below state averages. Science proficiency sits at 28.9%, about 15 points below the state. The school's state ranking has slipped from the 25th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 16th percentile in 2025-2026. A particularly concerning trend is the 9-point drop in 5th grade math proficiency (from 31.3% to 22.3%) year-over-year, even as 3rd and 4th grade math improved. Chronic absenteeism at 20.2% exceeds both the district (17.2%) and state (17.7%) averages, which may be hampering academic progress. Meanwhile, J. D. Dickerson Primary School (grades PK-1) has no test data available since standardized testing begins in 3rd grade, but it spends significantly more per student—$17,625 versus $12,112 at Meadows—a 45% funding gap that likely reflects the higher costs of early childhood education.

For parents, the key takeaway is that the upper elementary school is struggling academically across all subjects, with proficiency rates roughly half of state levels. The elevated absenteeism at Meadows and the sharp 5th grade math decline are the most actionable areas for intervention. The district itself ranks in the bottom 15% of Georgia schools, and both schools serve an entirely economically disadvantaged population. While Dickerson Primary's higher spending suggests investment in early learning, the lack of outcome data makes it impossible to assess its effectiveness. The spending disparity between the two schools raises questions about resource allocation, especially given the academic struggles at the upper elementary level.