Summary:
Zip code 30740 in Rocky Face, Georgia, is home to one elementary school, Westside Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5 and enrolls 549 students within the Whitfield County school district.
Westside Elementary School stands out as a school that performs better than its demographics might suggest, with 83% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The school’s greatest strength is its attendance culture—only 8.1% of students are chronically absent, which is less than half the state average of 17.7% and well below the district’s 12.7%. Academically, the school shows particular strength in 5th grade math, where 46% of students are proficient, beating both the district (42.2%) and state (44.1%) averages. In the prior year, 4th grade math was a standout subject with 57.6% proficiency, far exceeding the state’s 49%. However, the school has seen a notable decline in its state ranking, dropping from the 57th percentile to the 46th percentile over the past year, and 4th grade math proficiency fell sharply by nearly 19 percentage points year-over-year. Science performance also dipped from 41.9% to 35.6%, though it still edges out the district average of 34%.
For parents, this is a school that clearly works hard to keep kids in class and shows pockets of academic excellence, especially in upper elementary math. The student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1 and per-student spending of $14,397 suggest solid resources. The main concerns are the recent ranking drop and inconsistent performance across grade levels—3rd and 4th grade math currently trail state averages, while 5th grade excels. English Language Arts scores from the current year are not yet available (expected in December), but last year’s data showed 4th grade ELA outperforming both district and state. Overall, Westside Elementary is a high-poverty school that beats expectations in several areas, though families should watch for continued improvement in lower grades and science.
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