Metro Atlanta’s Top Public Schools

Every year, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, an independent, non-partisan think tank, analyzes and ranks more than 2,000 of Georgia’s elementary, middle and high schools for their annual “Report Card for Parents.” Elementary and middle school rankings are based on reading and math achievement scores from Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCTs), while graduation rates and end-of-course tests across a range of subjects are used to determine high school standings. Elementary schools are ranked by third- and fifth-grade scores, middle schools by eighth-grade scores and high schools by all end-of-course test scores. Below are the top-scoring third, fifth and eighth grades and high schools for each of the 28 districts in the metro Atlanta area. A listing of all schools’ achievement scores, as well as further data on poverty indicators, school spending and other factors, is available via the “Report Cards” link at gppf.org.

For additional information on individual school systems, each district’s website is provided. Visit the Georgia Department of Education site at doe.k12.ga.us for details on state curriculum and performance standards.

ATLANTA CITY
atlanta.K12.ga.us
Third Grade: Capitol View Elementary
Fifth Grade: F. L. Stanton Elementary
Eighth Grade: KIPP W. Atlanta Young Scholars Academy (Charter School)
High School: School of Health Sciences and Research at Carver

BARROW COUNTY
barrow.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Yargo Elementary
Fifth Grade: Yargo Elementary
Eighth Grade: Haymon-Morris Middle
High School: Winder-Barrow High

BARTOW COUNTY
bartow.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Taylorsville Elementary
Fifth Grade: White Elementary
Eighth Grade: Adairsville Middle
High School: Woodland High

BUFORD CITY SCHOOLS
bufordcityschools.org
Third Grade: Buford Academy
Fifth Grade: Buford Academy
Eighth Grade: Buford Middle
High School: Buford High

CARROLL COUNTY
carroll.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Whitesburg Elementary
Fifth Grade: Whitesburg Elementary
Eighth Grade: Jonesville Middle
High School: Central High

CHEROKEE COUNTY
cherokee.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Bascomb Elementary
Fifth Grade: Sixes Elementary
Eighth Grade: Creekland Middle
High School: Sequoyah High

CLAYTON COUNTY
clayton.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Arnold Elementary
Fifth Grade: Arnold Elementary
Eighth Grade: Babb Middle
High School: Jonesboro High

COBB COUNTY
cobb.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Mount Bethel Elementary
Fifth Grade: Shallowford Falls Elementary
Eighth Grade: Hightower Trail Middle
High School: Walton High (Charter School)

COWETA COUNTY
coweta.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Thomas Crossroads Elementary
Fifth Grade: Northside Elementary
Eighth Grade: Lee Middle
High School: Northgate High

DAWSON COUNTY
dawson.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Black’s Mill Elementary
Fifth Grade: Robinson Elementary
Eighth Grade: Riverview Middle
High School: Dawson County High

CITY OF DECATUR
decatur-city.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Oakhurst Elementary
Fifth Grade: Glennwood Academy
Eighth Grade: Renfroe Middle
High School: Decatur High

DEKALB COUNTY
dekalb.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Livsey Elementary
Fifth Grade: Kittredge Magnet School
Eighth Grade: DeKalb School of the Arts
High School: DeKalb School of the Arts

DOUGLAS COUNTY
douglas.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: South Douglas Elementary
Fifth Grade: Brighten Academy (Charter School)
Eighth Grade: Chapel Hill Middle
High School: Chapel Hill High

FAYETTE COUNTY
fayette.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Kedron Elementary
Fifth Grade: Peeples Elementary
Eighth Grade: Rising Starr Middle
High School: McIntosh High

FORSYTH COUNTY
forsyth.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Vickery Creek Elementary
Fifth Grade: Big Creek Elementary
Eighth Grade: South Forsyth Middle
High School: South Forsyth High

FULTON COUNTY
fulton.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Mountain Park Elementary
Fifth Grade: Mountain Park Elementary
Eighth Grade: Webb Bridge Academy
High School: Northview High

GILMER COUNTY
gilmer.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Oakland Elementary
Fifth Grade: Ellijay Elementary
Eighth Grade: Gilmer Middle
High School: Gilmer High

GWINNETT COUNTY
gwinnett.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Parsons Elementary
Fifth Grade: Freeman’s Mill Elementary
Eighth Grade: Frank N. Osborne Middle
High School: Brookwood High

HALL COUNTY
hall.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Chestnut Mountain Elementary
Fifth Grade: Mount Vernon Elementary
Eighth Grade: C. W. Davis Middle
High School: North Hall High

HENRY COUNTY
henry.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Dutchtown Elementary
Fifth Grade: Timber Ridge Elementary
Eighth Grade: Union Grove Middle
High School: Union Grove High

JACKSON COUNTY
jackson.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: East Jackson Elementary
Fifth Grade: West Jackson Intermediate
Eighth Grade: West Jackson Middle
High School: Jackson County High

LUMPKIN COUNTY
lumpkin.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Long Branch Elementary
Fifth Grade: Lumpkin County Elementary
Eighth Grade: Lumpkin County Middle
High School: New Lumpkin County High

CITY OF MARIETTA
marietta-city.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Marietta Center for Advanced Academics
Fifth Grade: Marietta Center for Advanced Academics
Eighth Grade: Marietta Middle
High School: Marietta High

NEWTON COUNTY
newton.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Mansfield Elementary
Fifth Grade: Palmer Stone Elementary
Eighth Grade: Veterans Memorial Middle
High School: Eastside High

PAULDING COUNTY
pauldking.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: McGarity Elementary
Fifth Grade: Roland W. Russom Elementary
Eighth Grade: Lena Mae Moses Middle
High School: East Paulding High

PICKENS COUNTY
pickens.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Harmony Elementary
Fifth Grade: Hill City Elementary
Eighth Grade: Pickens County Middle
High School: Pickens County High

ROCKDALE COUNTY
rockdale.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Honey Creek Elementary
Fifth Grade: Barksdale Elementary
Eighth Grade: General Ray Davis Middle
High School: Heritage High

WALTON COUNTY
walton.k12.ga.us
Third Grade: Walnut Grove Elementary
Fifth Grade: Walker Park Elementary
Eighth Grade: Loganville Middle
High School: Loganville High