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Below Average

#1907 of 2,268 schools in GA

Murphey Candler Elementary School

Elementary School · Dekalb County · Lithonia, GA

A Dekalb County elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

6775 S Goddard Rd, Lithonia, GA 30038

  • Math 18% vs GA 42% (2024)
  • Reading 23% vs GA 42% (2024)
  • 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-5.1 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency18% (2024 GA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency23.4% (2024 GA)
Math vs. State Avg-24.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-18.4 pts
Overall Proficiency21% (2024 GA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)20% (model expectation from 2024 GA)
vs. Expected+0.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile32th
Resources & Environment4.5Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.5:1
District spending per student$15,368
Chronic Absenteeism32.5%

Students at Murphey Candler Elementary School score 21% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 20%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 GA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. GA average.

Math Proficiency18%(2024 GA)
School
State
42%(2024 GA)
ELA Proficiency23%(2024 GA)
School
State
42%(2024 GA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 11 points since 2020, reaching 21% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
67%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
66%
ELA
80%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
84%
2012
Math
64%
ELA
89%
2013
Math
68%
ELA
85%
2014
Math
14%
ELA
19%
2015
Math
7%
ELA
13%
2016
Math
9%
ELA
13%
2017
Math
11%
ELA
16%
2018
Math
14%
ELA
20%
2019
Math
14%
ELA
20%
2020*
Math
3%
ELA
17%
2021*
Math
3%
ELA
17%
2022
Math
13%
ELA
18%
2024
Math
18%
ELA
23%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 29% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 40% (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 Murphey Candler 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. Open the Atlanta map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 20Car-Dependent
  • Bike 16Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,971/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Lithonia), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$70,860

Median home value

$234,900

Median rent

$1,535/mo

College educated

33%

Homeownership

62%

Poverty rate

10.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 30038; 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
Flat Rock Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.7PK–51.9 mi986Compare →
Lithonia Adventist Academy ElementaryPrivate · tuition4.9privatePK–82.0 mi51Compare →
Arete Prepatory SchoolPrivate · tuition3.8privatePK–63.2 mi88Compare →
Heritage Hills Early Learning CenterPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–23.3 mi20Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Dekalb County

Schools in district
131
Rank in district
#88 of 131
District spending per student
$15,368NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Murphey Candler Elementary School is listed in DeKalb County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Murphey Candler Elementary School

Murphey Candler Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lithonia, GA, part of Dekalb County, serving approximately 496 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,907 of 2,268 schools in GA. State assessment records show 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 40% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Murphey Candler Elementary School

What grades does Murphey Candler Elementary School serve?

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

How many students attend Murphey Candler Elementary School?

Murphey Candler Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 496 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Murphey Candler Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Murphey Candler Elementary School is 15.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Murphey Candler Elementary School rank in GA?

Murphey Candler Elementary School ranks #1,907 of 2,268 schools in GA.

What is Murphey Candler Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Murphey Candler Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 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 Murphey Candler Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Murphey Candler Elementary School has 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 40% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Murphey Candler Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Murphey Candler Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

100.0% of students at Murphey Candler 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
496
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
DeKalb County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.5%
Area population (ZIP 30038)
42,744
Area average commute
36.2 min
Area median age
38.4
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 30038; 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

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