Summary:
Zip code 31779 in Pelham, Georgia is served by two elementary schools—Shiver Elementary School and Pelham Elementary School—which together enroll about 1,157 students across Pre-K through elementary grades (Shiver extends through 8th grade), with both schools operating under different district governance in this small, rural southwest Georgia community.
For parents comparing the two, Shiver Elementary School is the clear academic leader. Its 4th-grade math proficiency rate of 79% is nearly 30 points above the state average, and its 8th-grade math (62.5%) and science (43.7%) scores also exceed state benchmarks by wide margins. Shiver has climbed to the 64th percentile statewide, a strong result given that 92% of its students qualify for free/reduced lunch. However, Shiver shows a consistent 5th-grade dip—math fell to 32.3% in 2025-2026—that parents should be aware of as a potential transition-year challenge. Meanwhile, Pelham Elementary School is improving rapidly, jumping from the 22nd to the 47th percentile in just two years. While its absolute scores still trail Shiver (e.g., 3rd-grade math at 29.8% vs. 62.1%), Pelham boasts an exceptional chronic absenteeism rate of just 8.9%—half the state average—and its 5th-grade science (50%) now exceeds the state average.
Notably, Pelham Elementary School spends $2,071 more per student ($13,723 vs. $11,652) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (13.0 vs. 14.6) than Shiver, yet Shiver outperforms it on nearly every measure—suggesting instructional quality and leadership matter more than funding alone. The two schools also reflect their districts: Grady County ranks 93rd statewide (3 stars) while Pelham City ranks 132nd (2 stars). For families, Shiver offers the strongest academics, especially in math and middle-grade STEM, while Pelham offers a tightly-knit, low-absenteeism environment with a promising upward trajectory.
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