Summary:
Zip code 31216 in Macon, Georgia is served by two elementary schools—Heard Elementary School and Porter Elementary School—both part of the Bibb County School District and serving grades PK-5 with similar socioeconomic profiles.
Heard Elementary School is the clear standout in this area, ranking 540th out of 1,219 Georgia schools (56th percentile, 3 stars) and showing steady improvement over the past three years. Heard outperforms Porter significantly in math, with 3rd grade proficiency at 48% versus Porter's 19.7%, and 4th grade at 53% versus 34.5%. In the most recent ELA data (2024-2025), Heard's proficiency was roughly double Porter's in 3rd and 4th grades. However, Heard shows a concerning drop in 5th grade math (31.6% proficiency, down from 53% in 4th grade). Porter Elementary School is the lower-performing school overall but has made a dramatic ranking jump from the 10th percentile to the 37th percentile in just two years. Porter's standout achievement is 5th grade science, where 56.3% of students are proficient—exceeding Heard (42.1%), the district (34.7%), and the state (44.2%). Porter also has slightly better chronic absenteeism (13.6% vs. 14.3%) and a lower student-teacher ratio (12.9:1 vs. 14.8:1), despite spending $1,586 more per student.
Both schools are relative bright spots within a struggling district, beating Bibb County averages in chronic absenteeism, 4th grade math, and 5th grade science. The most significant challenge for both schools is ELA proficiency, where they trail state averages by 4-28 points depending on grade and school. With similar free/reduced lunch rates (55.2% at Heard, 53.75% at Porter), the achievement gap between these schools suggests factors like instructional quality and school culture are driving outcomes. ELA scores for 2025-2026 will be released in December, which will provide a clearer picture of whether these gaps are closing.
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