Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 31545

Zip code 31545 in Jesup, Georgia, is served by two elementary schools—Bacon Elementary School and Martha Rawls Smith Elementary School—both part of the Wayne County school district and both serving grades PK-5. Every student at both schools qualifies for free or reduced lunch, and the district itself ranks in the 60th percentile statewide with a 3-star rating.

Bacon Elementary is the stronger academic performer overall. It ranks 608th out of 1,219 Georgia elementary schools (50th percentile, 3 stars), while Martha Rawls Smith ranks 774th (37th percentile, 2 stars). Bacon outperforms Martha Rawls Smith in 9 of 11 subject and grade-level test comparisons. For example, in 4th grade math, 49.5% of Bacon students are proficient versus 39.2% at Martha Rawls Smith, and in 5th grade math the gap is 32.1% versus 25.3%. Both schools trail state averages in most subjects, particularly in upper elementary grades. Martha Rawls Smith does have one clear advantage: its chronic absenteeism rate is 16.3%, better than the state average of 17.7%, while Bacon's rate is 22.4%. Interestingly, Martha Rawls Smith spends about $1,124 more per student and has a lower student-teacher ratio (12:1 vs. 14.5:1), yet still lags Bacon academically—suggesting resources alone aren't driving outcomes.

The encouraging news is that both schools are improving. Bacon's 3rd grade math proficiency jumped from 33.7% to 47.6% in one year, nearly reaching the state average. Martha Rawls Smith showed dramatic gains in 5th grade math, rising from 13.3% to 25.3%, and in 5th grade science, from 26.8% to 34.9%. Both schools also improved their state rankings year-over-year. However, a clear pattern emerges: proficiency declines as students move from 3rd to 5th grade at both schools, and both struggle with upper elementary math and science. Last year's ELA scores (the only ones available) showed both schools well below state averages, with only 27.6% of Bacon 5th graders and 19.3% of Martha Rawls Smith 5th graders proficient versus 43% statewide. For parents, Bacon offers stronger academics, while Martha Rawls Smith offers better attendance and smaller classes—but both schools are on upward trajectories worth watching.