Schools in Zip Code 31408

Zip code 31408 in Garden City/Savannah, Georgia, is served by four schools in the Savannah-Chatham County district, including one elementary, one middle, and two high schools, enrolling roughly 3,272 students across grades PK-12.

The standout in this area is Woodville-Tompkins Technical and Career High School, which ranks in the top 2% of Georgia high schools (9th of 455) and boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate. Its test scores are exceptional: 89.6% proficiency in Algebra I, 77.2% in Biology, and 65.9% in US History—all far above state averages. In stark contrast, Groves High School ranks in the bottom 15% (389th of 455) with a 77.1% graduation rate and proficiency rates of just 10.3% in Algebra I and 34.2% in Biology. Chronic absenteeism tells a similar story: only 5.4% at Woodville-Tompkins versus 33.7% at Groves. Mercer Middle School has been stuck in the bottom 11% of Georgia middle schools for three straight years, with particularly alarming science scores—just 3.8% of 8th graders are proficient, compared to 29.7% statewide. Meanwhile, Garden City Elementary School is a bright spot, exceeding district averages in 5th grade math (43.6% vs. 33.2%) despite serving the highest-poverty population in the zip code (90.6% free/reduced lunch).

The most striking finding is the dramatic drop-off between Garden City Elementary and Mercer Middle: 5th graders achieve 43.6% math proficiency, but 6th graders at Mercer fall to just 10.6%. This suggests a significant transition problem or instructional quality gap. Notably, per-student spending does not explain performance—Mercer spends the most ($17,984) yet performs worst, while Woodville-Tompkins spends less ($16,430) and excels. The technical school's smaller class sizes (14.4:1 vs. 19.7:1 at Groves) and career-focused model appear to drive its success, offering a potential blueprint for improving outcomes across this educationally divided zip code.