Schools in Zip Code 30601

Zip code 30601 in Athens, Georgia, is served by five schools in the Clarke County School District, including four elementary schools and one middle school, with a total enrollment of 2,182 students and high poverty rates across the board.

The standout school in this area is Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School, which ranks in the 83rd percentile statewide and dramatically outperforms every other school in the zip code. For example, 69.5% of its 3rd graders are proficient in math, compared to 46.5% at Judia Jackson Harris Elementary, 43.6% at Fowler Drive Elementary School, and just 18.9% at Howard B. Stroud Elementary School. At the other end of the spectrum, Howard B. Stroud ranks in the 3rd percentile statewide and has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (30.1%) in the area, nearly double the state average. Interestingly, Howard B. Stroud spends the most per student ($29,249) and has the smallest class sizes, yet produces the lowest academic results, while Johnnie Lay Burks achieves top-quartile outcomes with the lowest spending ($21,739) and larger classes. Coile Middle School struggles overall with math proficiency between 12-24% in grades 6-8, but its Algebra I students perform well, with 40.8% proficient, nearly matching the state average.

Chronic absenteeism appears to be a strong predictor of success here: Judia Jackson Harris Elementary has the best attendance (9.9%) and ranks second academically, while Howard B. Stroud has the worst attendance and ranks last. The achievement gap within this single zip code is stark—a 50-point difference in 3rd grade math proficiency between the top and bottom schools—yet Johnnie Lay Burks proves that high-poverty schools can succeed. For parents, this data suggests that school choice within this zip code matters enormously, and that attendance and school culture may be more important than funding or class size in driving student outcomes.