Savannah-chatham County School District

Savannah-Chatham County Public School System serves 35,781 students across 58 ranked schools, making it one of Georgia's larger urban districts. Families relocating to the Savannah area will find a wide range of school options spanning the city and surrounding Chatham County communities, from established neighborhood elementaries to specialized program schools.

District-wide, schools average a 6.8 out of 10, a score that reflects meaningful variation across campuses. That average matters less than the individual school picture — several elementaries score well above it, and knowing where those schools are gives parents a real advantage during enrollment decisions. The top-rated school in the district, Savannah Classical Academy Charter School, scores a 9.7 out of 10, placing it among the strongest elementary options in the region. May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary each score a 9.5, while Bloomingdale Elementary (9.0) and Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts (8.9) round out the district's highest-performing elementaries. Four of the five top schools clear the 9.0 mark — a concentration of strong elementary options that gives families in the right attendance zones, or with access to charter enrollment, competitive choices.

Esther F. Garrison stands out for its arts integration focus at the elementary level, which distinguishes it from traditional neighborhood schools. Savannah Classical Academy operates as a charter school, meaning enrollment is open to students district-wide rather than tied to a specific address — an important practical detail for parents who don't live near the highest-rated campuses.

Parents researching Savannah-Chatham County should cross-reference each school's individual rating against their home address and charter lottery timelines. With 58 schools in the district and an average score of 6.8, the gap between the highest- and lowest-rated campuses is significant. Prioritizing schools in the 9.0-and-above range, and understanding whether a school is a zoned or open-enrollment campus, will be the most useful filter for families focused on academic performance at the elementary level.