Best Public Schools in Zip Code 30511

Zip code 30511 in Baldwin, GA, is served by a single school: Baldwin Elementary School, which enrolls 422 students in grades PK through 5 within the Habersham County School District.

Baldwin Elementary stands out for its unique combination of strengths and challenges. Every student (100%) qualifies for free or reduced lunch, making it a high-poverty school, yet it maintains an impressively low chronic absenteeism rate of just 8.7%—less than half the state average of 17.7%. The school also invests heavily in its students, spending $17,322 per pupil and keeping class sizes small with an 11.2:1 student-teacher ratio. Academically, the school shows notable progress in lower-grade math: 3rd grade proficiency jumped 10.1 points to 45.6% (nearly matching the state average), and 4th grade improved by 7 points to 41.5%. However, 5th grade math slipped to 32.2%, and science remains a persistent weakness at 30.5% proficiency, about 14 points below the state. The most concerning data point is 4th grade English Language Arts (ELA), where only 13.8% of students were proficient in 2024-2025—a staggering 25 points below the state average. Notably, 3rd grade ELA (38.1%) actually exceeded state and district averages, suggesting the 4th grade issue may be cohort-specific rather than systemic.

Overall, Baldwin Elementary is a school that outperforms expectations given its demographics, particularly in attendance and early-grade math. The school has earned a 2-star rating for three consecutive years, ranking in the 38th-47th percentile statewide. The high per-student spending and low class sizes provide a strong foundation, but results are mixed—with clear bright spots in 3rd grade and clear gaps in 4th grade ELA and 5th grade math. The upcoming December release of current ELA scores will be critical to determining whether the 4th grade ELA struggles persist or were an anomaly. For parents, this is a school with dedicated resources and strong attendance, but one where academic outcomes vary significantly by grade and subject, making it important to monitor individual grade-level performance closely.