Summary:
Zip code 31557 in Patterson, Georgia, is home to just one elementary school, Patterson Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5 and enrolls 465 students within the highly-rated Pierce County school district.
Patterson Elementary School is a high-poverty school—nearly 88% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch—yet it consistently outperforms state averages in every subject and grade level with available data. In the most recent 2025–2026 math results, 3rd graders posted an impressive 85.9% proficiency rate, which is nearly 38 points above the state average, while 4th graders reached 75.0% and 5th graders 53.5%. The school also exceeds state averages in 5th-grade science (49.3% vs. 44.2% statewide). However, a clear pattern emerges: math proficiency declines as grade level increases, with a 32-point gap between 3rd and 5th grade. Year-over-year, 3rd and 4th grade math improved, but 5th-grade math dropped by 8.1 points. Science performance is a relative weakness, falling 8.5 points below the district average in 2025–2026 after a steep 17.8-point decline from the prior year. English Language Arts data from 2024–2025 shows consistent proficiency across grades (52–55%), well above state levels, though current-year ELA results will not be released until December.
The school’s state ranking has slipped from 95th (2023–2024) to 208th (2025–2026) out of roughly 1,200 schools, despite strong early-grade test scores, suggesting upper-grade declines are driving the change. Chronic absenteeism stands at 16.0%, above the district’s 11.6% but below the state’s 17.7%. With $14,367 spent per student and a favorable 13.7:1 student-to-teacher ratio, the school is well-resourced. Overall, Patterson Elementary School delivers strong results for a high-poverty school, excelling in early grades while facing challenges in 5th-grade math and science that merit attention.
Thank you for your feedback!