Summary:
Zip code 39870, serving the Newton, Georgia area, is home to just one elementary school, Baker County Elementary, which enrolls 138 students across grades PK through 5 in the Baker County district.
As the only school in the area, Baker County Elementary serves a student body where 100% qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges. The school posts a 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio and spends $16,897 per student, both favorable figures. However, academic results are mixed. In 3rd grade math, 42.1% of students are proficient, just 6 points below the state average. That performance drops sharply in upper grades: only 9.5% of 4th graders and 9.1% of 5th graders are proficient in math, gaps of roughly 35-40 points below state averages. In 5th grade science, 18.2% are proficient, 26 points below the state. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 26.6%, notably higher than the state's 17.7% but better than the district's 33.6%.
The dramatic decline in math proficiency from 3rd to 4th grade—a 32.6-point drop—is the most striking finding. With only about 20 students per grade, individual student performance can heavily skew results, so this may reflect a challenging cohort or a curriculum transition issue rather than a systemic failure. The school's high spending and small class sizes have not yet overcome the combined hurdles of extreme poverty and absenteeism. For parents, this means the early elementary years show relative strength, but upper-grade math and science need attention. The identical school and district scores underscore that this single school's performance defines the entire district's standing.
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