Mary Lin Elementary School vs Bolton Academy Elementary

Mary Lin Elementary School and Bolton Academy Elementary are both highly rated Atlanta elementary schools, but Mary Lin holds a meaningful edge at the top of Georgia's rankings. Mary Lin scores 9.6/10 overall against Bolton Academy's 9.1/10 — a 0.5-point gap that reflects a larger difference in state context: Mary Lin ranks #5 of 2,268 Georgia schools while Bolton Academy ranks #34. Both are exceptional schools by any statewide measure, but Mary Lin sits in a narrower tier of schools with virtually no peers at its level.

The academic scores tell the sharpest story between the two schools. Mary Lin Elementary School earns a 9.6/10 in academics compared to Bolton Academy Elementary's 7.7/10 — a nearly two-point gap that signals meaningfully stronger tested proficiency outcomes at Mary Lin. On growth, however, the schools are identical: both earn a 9.6/10, meaning students at Bolton Academy are gaining ground at the same pace as their Mary Lin peers despite entering with different baseline profiles. Bolton Academy's growth score relative to its demographics is particularly notable given its student composition.

The demographic split between these two schools is the defining difference for many families. Mary Lin Elementary School enrolls 509 students with just 5% qualifying for free or reduced lunch, while Bolton Academy Elementary serves 557 students with 41% on free or reduced lunch. Mary Lin's student-teacher ratio of 14.5:1 is slightly higher than Bolton Academy's 13.3:1, meaning Bolton families get marginally more adult attention per child in the classroom. Families prioritizing economic integration will find Bolton Academy more reflective of Atlanta's broader population.

One structural difference worth noting for families with younger children: Bolton Academy Elementary serves grades PK through 05, adding a pre-kindergarten year that Mary Lin Elementary School — which starts at kindergarten — does not offer. For parents seeking a single-school solution from age four onward, Bolton Academy eliminates the need for a separate pre-K placement. Both schools are 7.4 miles apart within Atlanta, making neighborhood proximity a practical deciding factor for most families.