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Below Average

#1977 of 2,268 schools in GA

Gaines Elementary School

Elementary School · Clarke County · Athens, GA

A Clarke County elementary school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

900 Gaines School Rd, Athens, GA 30605

  • Math 15% vs GA 42% (2024)
  • Reading 12% vs GA 42% (2024)
  • 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.5Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-5.54 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.3Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency15.1% (2024 GA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency12.2% (2024 GA)
Math vs. State Avg-27 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-29.6 pts
Overall Proficiency14% (2024 GA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)20% (model expectation from 2024 GA)
vs. Expected-6.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile14th
Resources & Environment9.4Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.1:1
District spending per student$21,012
Chronic Absenteeism36.9%

Students at Gaines Elementary School score 14% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 20%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 GA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. GA average.

Math Proficiency15%(2024 GA)
School
State
42%(2024 GA)
ELA Proficiency12%(2024 GA)
School
State
42%(2024 GA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 6 points since 2020, reaching 14% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
74%
ELA
83%
2010
Math
73%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
68%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
67%
ELA
81%
2013
Math
60%
ELA
78%
2014
Math
19%
ELA
10%
2015
Math
17%
ELA
17%
2016
Math
18%
ELA
18%
2017
Math
19%
ELA
17%
2018
Math
13%
ELA
14%
2019
Math
13%
ELA
14%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
8%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
8%
2022
Math
12%
ELA
12%
2024
Math
15%
ELA
12%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 32% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from GA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Gaines Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 71Very Walkable
  • Bike 52Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$48,188

Median home value

$279,200

Median rent

$1,104/mo

College educated

52.6%

Homeownership

33.9%

Poverty rate

28.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 30605; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Athens Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuition7.6privatePK–81.7 mi138Compare →
Barnett Shoals Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.6PK–51.9 mi488Compare →
Whit Davis Road Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.1PK–52.1 mi402Compare →
Barrow Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.0PK–52.8 mi458Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Clarke County

Schools in district
21
Rank in district
#19 of 21
District spending per student
$21,012NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
23.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Gaines Elementary School is listed in Clarke County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Gaines Elementary School

Gaines Elementary School is a public elementary school in Athens, GA, part of Clarke County, serving approximately 545 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,977 of 2,268 schools in GA. State assessment records show 32% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Gaines Elementary School

What grades does Gaines Elementary School serve?

Gaines Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Gaines Elementary School?

Gaines Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 545 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Gaines Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Gaines Elementary School is 11.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Gaines Elementary School rank in GA?

Gaines Elementary School ranks #1,977 of 2,268 schools in GA.

What is Gaines Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Gaines Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Gaines Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Gaines Elementary School has 32% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Gaines Elementary School a charter school?

No, Gaines Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Gaines Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Gaines Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Gaines Elementary School?

100.0% of students at Gaines Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
545
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
49
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Clarke County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
36.9%
Area population (ZIP 30605)
41,788
Area average commute
21.5 min
Area median age
27.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 GA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 GA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 GA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 GA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 30605; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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