Summary:
Zip code 31201 in Macon, Georgia, is served by two elementary schools—Alexander II Magnet School and Williams Elementary School—which together educate 759 students in Pre-K through 5th grade within the Bibb County School District, a district that ranks in the bottom 20% of Georgia.
These two schools, located less than two miles apart, offer vastly different academic experiences. Alexander II Magnet School is the clear standout, historically ranking in the top quarter of Georgia elementary schools. In 2025-2026, it earned a 3-star rating (57th percentile) and outperformed district averages in every subject—for example, 54.7% of its 3rd graders were proficient in math versus 31.1% district-wide. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 10.7% is remarkably low, even better than the state average of 17.7%. In contrast, Williams Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10% of Georgia schools (1 star, 10th percentile). The achievement gap is stark: in 5th grade math, Alexander II students are five times more likely to be proficient (44.9% vs. 8.5%), and in 5th grade science, the gap is eightfold (34.8% vs. 4.3%).
Perhaps the most surprising finding is the spending paradox. Williams Elementary receives 25% more funding per student ($19,630 vs. $15,641) and has a better student-teacher ratio (11.7:1 vs. 13.4:1), yet achieves far worse outcomes. This suggests that resources alone cannot overcome the challenges Williams faces, including a much higher poverty rate (84.7% free/reduced lunch vs. 56.6%) and chronic absenteeism nearly triple that of Alexander II (28.2% vs. 10.7%). For parents, the attendance data may be the most actionable insight—addressing chronic absenteeism at Williams could be the highest-leverage intervention. Additionally, Alexander II’s magnet model, which attracts more engaged families, appears to be a significant factor in its success, offering a potential blueprint for improvement across the district.
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