Summary:
Zip code 30621, encompassing the Bishop, GA area, is served by a single public elementary school: High Shoals Elementary School, which educates students in grades PK through 5 and is part of the highly-ranked Oconee County school district.
High Shoals Elementary School is an exceptional performer, consistently ranking in the top 8% of all Georgia elementary schools over the past three years. Its mathematics scores are a standout strength, with proficiency rates in the most recent testing year ranging from 76.6% to 84.2% across grades 3-5, dramatically outpacing state averages of 44-50%. The school also showed impressive year-over-year math gains, particularly in 3rd grade, which jumped nearly 11 percentage points. Science proficiency in 5th grade (68.6%) also far exceeds the state average (44.2%), though it trails the school's own math performance. English Language Arts (ELA) scores for the current year have not yet been released (expected in December), but prior-year data showed ELA proficiency between 58% and 69.5%, which, while strong, lagged behind math scores—a pattern worth watching when new data arrives.
Beyond test scores, the school benefits from a highly supportive learning environment. The chronic absenteeism rate is just 5.4%, less than one-third of the state's 17.7%, indicating strong attendance and family engagement. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1 and per-student spending of $14,224, the school is well-resourced. Only 17.6% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, reflecting a relatively affluent community. While the school's state ranking has fluctuated slightly (from 49th to 95th to 75th), its own scores have remained high and even improved, suggesting the shifts are due to changes in other schools' performance rather than any decline at High Shoals. Overall, this is an elite elementary school within a top-tier district, with math as a clear academic strength and a watchful eye on upcoming ELA results.
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