Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 39845

Zip code 39845, serving the Donalsonville area in southwest Georgia, is home to one elementary school, Seminole County Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5 with an enrollment of 638 students in the Seminole County district.

As the only elementary school in the area, Seminole County Elementary School serves a student population where 100% participate in the free/reduced lunch program, reflecting a high-poverty community. The school invests heavily in its students, spending $15,303 per pupil and maintaining a favorable 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio. One of its standout strengths is attendance: the chronic absenteeism rate is just 10.3%, which is significantly better than the state average of 17.7% and even better than the district's 11.5%. Academically, the school ranks in the middle tier of Georgia elementary schools, currently sitting at the 45th percentile (2 stars) after improving from the 40th percentile the previous year. In the most recent test scores, 3rd grade math showed a strong year-over-year gain, jumping from 32.2% to 38.4% proficiency, while 4th and 5th grade math dipped slightly. The school's 5th grade math performance (41.2%) remains close to the state average (44.1%), and in the prior year, 5th grade math actually exceeded the state average by 3.1 points—a notable achievement for a high-poverty school.

The most significant academic challenge is English Language Arts (ELA). The most recent available data (2024-2025) shows proficiency rates of 17.8% in 3rd grade, 18.0% in 4th grade, and 35.8% in 5th grade, all well below state averages. The 5th grade ELA performance is considerably stronger than the lower grades, suggesting effective interventions may be helping students as they progress. Science proficiency (36.1%) also trails the state average (44.2%). The school's ranking has fluctuated modestly over three years (42nd, 40th, and 45th percentiles), and the upcoming December release of new ELA scores will be critical to see if the school is closing these gaps. Overall, Seminole County Elementary School combines strong attendance and investment with mixed academic results, showing particular promise in math and 5th grade performance.