Summary:
Zip code 30540 in Ellijay, Georgia is served by two elementary schools—Ellijay Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary—both part of the Gilmer County School District, a 4-star district ranked in the top 30% of Georgia. Both schools serve grades PK-5 with similar student populations (roughly 57-60% free/reduced lunch) and nearly identical student-teacher ratios (13.6:1 and 13.8:1).
Mountain View is the clear academic leader in this area, outperforming Ellijay Elementary in every subject and grade level tested. In 5th grade, Mountain View’s math proficiency (54.2%) exceeds the state average (44.1%) by 10 points, while Ellijay trails the state by nearly 10 points (34.4%). Mountain View also leads in 5th-grade science (54.3% vs. 36.6%) and shows strong year-over-year gains, jumping 14 points in 5th-grade math and 12.5 points in science. Ellijay, by contrast, ranks in the lower third of Georgia schools (2 stars) but has shown modest improvement in its percentile ranking over three years. Notably, Ellijay spends about $2,000 more per student ($16,125 vs. $14,231) yet achieves lower scores, raising questions about resource allocation.
Despite its academic struggles, Ellijay Elementary boasts an impressively low chronic absenteeism rate of 9.8%—nearly 8 points below the state average (17.7%) and well below its district (14.3%). Mountain View’s rate (13.5%) is also below state and district averages. Both schools benefit from a well-regarded district and strong attendance, but for families prioritizing test scores, Mountain View currently offers the stronger track record. Note that current English Language Arts scores are not yet available; the most recent data shows both schools below state averages, with Ellijay particularly struggling in 4th-grade ELA (26.4% vs. 39.3% state).
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