Mary Lin Elementary School vs Burgess-Peterson Elementary School

Mary Lin Elementary School and Burgess-Peterson Elementary School sit just 2.1 miles apart in Atlanta yet rank back-to-back among Georgia's top schools — Mary Lin at #5 of 2268 and Burgess-Peterson at #6 of 2268. The overall rating gap is just 0.1 points (9.6 vs. 9.5 out of 10), making these two of the strongest elementary options in the entire state and, effectively, peer institutions by any broad measure.

The academic scores tell a more differentiated story. Mary Lin Elementary School scores 9.6/10 on academics compared to Burgess-Peterson Elementary School's 8.7/10 — a 0.9-point gap that reflects meaningfully stronger proficiency outcomes. Burgess-Peterson, however, flips the script on growth: its 9.8/10 growth score edges Mary Lin's 9.6/10, suggesting Burgess-Peterson is accelerating students at a slightly faster rate relative to their starting points. Parents weighing raw proficiency against year-over-year momentum will find a genuine trade-off here.

Burgess-Peterson Elementary School enrolls 568 students to Mary Lin Elementary School's 509, yet achieves a tighter student-teacher ratio — 13.2:1 versus Mary Lin's 14.5:1 — meaning more instructional attention per child despite the larger enrollment. The schools diverge sharply on socioeconomic profile: Mary Lin's free and reduced-price lunch rate is 5%, while Burgess-Peterson's is 35%. That 30-percentage-point gap reflects distinct neighborhood demographics and may inform how each school allocates support resources, intervention staffing, and extracurricular programming.

One structural difference shapes access from the start: Burgess-Peterson Elementary School serves grades PK through 5, offering a prekindergarten entry point that Mary Lin Elementary School — which begins at kindergarten — does not. Families seeking a single-school experience from age four will find only Burgess-Peterson accommodates that continuity. Both schools are Atlanta public elementaries, and with ratings this close, logistics, attendance zone, and program fit will likely drive the final call more than any quality differential.