Summary:
Zip code 31021 in Dublin, Georgia is home to two elementary schools—Susie Dasher and Hillcrest Elementary—both serving grades PK-4 within the Dublin City school district, together educating roughly 1,100 students in a high-poverty area where 100% of students at each school qualify for free/reduced lunch.
These two schools share nearly identical resources—per-student spending differs by just $219 ($13,473 at Susie Dasher vs. $13,254 at Hillcrest)—yet their outcomes diverge significantly. Susie Dasher is the clear standout, ranking in the 57th percentile statewide (3 stars) compared to Hillcrest Elementary’s 35th percentile (2 stars). The gap is most visible in 3rd grade math, where Susie Dasher posts a 58.1% proficiency rate—nearly 10 points above the state average and 13.5 points above the district—while Hillcrest trails at just 35%. Susie Dasher also excels in attendance, with a 9.3% chronic absenteeism rate versus Hillcrest’s 14.0%, though both schools beat the 17.7% state average. Notably, both schools have improved their state rankings over the past three years, with Susie Dasher climbing from the 45th to 57th percentile and Hillcrest from the 27th to 35th percentile.
However, the picture isn’t one-sided. Hillcrest Elementary actually outperforms Susie Dasher in 4th grade English Language Arts (34.4% vs. 30.8%) and exceeds the district average, showing pockets of strength to build on. Both schools trail state averages in ELA overall—Susie Dasher by 7.2 points and Hillcrest by 16.4 points in 3rd grade—making literacy a key area for improvement. Grade-level patterns also differ: Susie Dasher’s 3rd grade math far exceeds its 4th grade performance (a 17.6-point drop), while Hillcrest’s 4th graders outperform their 3rd graders in math. For parents, this means Susie Dasher offers stronger overall academics and attendance, but Hillcrest has specific grade-level strengths worth considering, and both schools are trending upward despite serving economically disadvantaged populations.
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