Is Garden Hills Elementary School a good school?

Garden Hills Elementary School ranks 519 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Garden Hills Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 468 students attended Garden Hills Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Garden Hills Elementary School?

Students at Garden Hills Elementary School are 43% African American, 33% Hispanic, 19% White, 3% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Garden Hills Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Garden Hills Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Willis A. Sutton Middle School High : North Atlanta High School

Garden Hills Elementary School

Summary:

Garden Hills Elementary School is a public elementary school in Atlanta, Georgia, serving 468 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Atlanta Public Schools district.

Garden Hills Elementary consistently outperforms the Atlanta Public Schools district and the state of Georgia in English Language Arts and Mathematics test scores across grades 3-5. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 59.2% of 5th-grade students at Garden Hills Elementary were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 41.9% for the district and 48.2% for the state. The school also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 57.91%, significantly more than nearby schools like Morningside Elementary (6.13%) and Jackson Elementary (12.53%).

Despite having a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students, Garden Hills Elementary outperforms the nearby schools in academic achievement, suggesting the school is effectively addressing the needs of its student population. The school also has higher per-student spending of around $15,300 and a lower student-teacher ratio ranging from 10.5 to 11.9, which may contribute to its stronger performance compared to the surrounding schools in the Atlanta Public Schools district.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

285 Sheridan Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30305

(404) 802-7800

District: Atlanta Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
519^th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Students who attend Garden Hills Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Willis A. Sutton Middle School
High:	North Atlanta High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9

Number of students: 468

Racial breakdown:

African American:

42.7%

Hispanic:

33.3%

White:

18.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.9%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Garden Hills Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Garden Hills Elementary School ranks better than 58.4% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.03. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

Garden Hills Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Atlanta Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Atlanta Public Schools 149^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Garden Hills Elementary School.

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Rank History for Garden Hills Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	20.30	955^th	1101	13.3%
2007	41.40	755^th	1125	32.9%
2008	53.07	608^th	1134	46.4%
2009	69.19	353^rd	1133	68.8%
2010	63.31	487^th	1183	58.8%
2011	35.23	902^nd	1212	25.6%
2012	47.00	767^th	1201	36.1%
2013	46.84	783^rd	1225	36.1%
2014	62.06	548^th	1231	55.5%
2015	47.65	599^th	1240	51.7%
2016	55.45	489^th	1233	60.3%
2017	49.77	555^th	1205	53.9%
2018	56.98	469^th	1209	61.2%
2019	57.23	494^th	1234	60.0%
2021	50.19	555^th	1214	54.3%
2022	54.06	520^th	1244	58.2%
2023	58.31	466^th	1242	62.5%
2024	54.03	519^th	1248	58.4%

See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, May 6, 2021

The school structure is old enough that my wife's grandmother attended here, but the excellence focus is growing as the demographics shift and parents have the means to invest in the school at a discount from private school tuition costs. The school as a whole may receive middling marks, but the DLI program is tops. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, March 5, 2020

This is a gem of a neighborhood school. I know my children are in good hands and that the school faculty is invested in their education. Families can choose the traditional school track or apply for DLI, dual language immersion. We're very happy with the school. Close Quote

by a teacher
Saturday, April 13, 2019

Garden Hills is truly a special place. I feel valuable and appreciated as an educator by the whole community - adminstration, staff, parents and students. I have been able to learn and grow and in such a positive environment. Close Quote

by a citizen
Thursday, May 3, 2018

Wonderful staff, beautifully maintained and decorated building, lots of special resources for the children. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, January 15, 2016

My son has been here since Kindergarten and he is now a fourth grader. This school is truly a gem. The leadership and staff truly care about the students and plans accordingly to help them succeed. My son has flourished here and i am so thankful to have had him at such a special school! I am looking forward to my daughter starting in a couple years. We love Garden Hills! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, December 30, 2013

We have had two children at GHES for five years and recommend it wholeheartedly. It is small. Teachers are dedicated. The neighborhood supports it's school. The rankings and scores are excellent - even considering the high Hispanic population where readers struggle with the language. We are impressed with the school's priority on supporting learners as they are....and differentiating instruction based on need. ESOL kids get the pull-outs they need. It is an IB school - and has held that designation longer than any elementary school in Atlanta. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I am the proud parent of a second semester kindergartener who has absolutely flourished at Garden Hills. Admittedly, when my wife and I started our initial research on the school - test scores, etc. - we were more than a bit concerned. However, after scheduling a tour of the school, meeting with other parents, meeting the teachers and the principal our concerns quickly went away. Garden Hills is a teaching school that provides a rigorous curriculum. I do not want my child to be taught how to take an exam.

If you are a prospective parent of a kindergartener, please take advantage of the kindergarten camp, which is typically offered just before the school year kicks-off. It is a great way for your child(ren) to get acclimated to what could be an intimidating environment.

Great campus, fantastic teachers and principal coupled with very active and involved parents, and a rigorous curriculum makes for a winning recipe of success for the wonderful and deserving students. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Garden Hills Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	347	347
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	370	370
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	389	389
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	430	430
1994	139	175	30	112	1	n/a	n/a	0	457
1995	126	139	34	144	1	n/a	n/a	0	444
1996	126	139	34	144	1	n/a	n/a	0	444
1997	100	104	31	157	1	n/a	n/a	0	393
1998	107	99	23	174	0	n/a	n/a	0	403
1999	105	86	27	191	1	n/a	n/a	0	410
2000	78	106	30	227	2	n/a	n/a	0	443
2001	77	107	33	235	3	n/a	n/a	0	455
2002	74	89	32	265	2	n/a	n/a	0	462
2003	74	89	32	265	2	n/a	n/a	0	462
2004	73	69	26	315	3	n/a	n/a	0	486
2005	75	84	27	371	1	n/a	n/a	20	578
2006	80	90	26	368	0	n/a	n/a	20	584
2007	72	67	17	409	0	n/a	n/a	17	582
2008	70	54	20	409	1	n/a	n/a	17	571
2009	63	69	17	416	1	n/a	n/a	13	579
2010	77	72	15	427	2	0	11	0	604
2011	84	95	15	489	2	0	15	0	700
2012	92	94	16	485	1	0	8	0	696
2013	93	107	14	408	0	0	6	0	628
2014	96	97	19	401	0	0	11	0	624
2015	98	89	21	392	0	0	11	0	611
2016	96	88	17	273	0	0	14	0	488
2017	102	92	20	280	1	0	21	0	516
2018	116	89	9	278	0	1	22	0	515
2019	113	122	12	279	1	2	19	0	548
2020	115	129	11	246	0	2	11	0	514
2021	109	125	10	206	0	0	11	0	461
2022	100	169	10	163	1	1	9	0	453
2023	88	200	13	156	0	0	11	0	468

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Garden Hills Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	347	24.0	14.4	n/a
1991	370	25.0	14.8	30
1992	389	28.0	13.8	31.4
1993	430	29.0	14.8	38.6
1994	457	32.8	13.9	38.1
1995	444	35.0	12.7	58.6
1996	444	35.0	12.7	58.6
1997	393	34.2	11.5	64.4
1998	403	34.7	11.6	84.6
1999	410	34.4	11.9	70
2000	443	35.1	12.6	57.8
2001	455	36.9	12.3	73.4
2002	462	38.9	11.9	78.1
2003	462	38.9	11.9	78.1
2004	486	36.0	13.5	72.6
2005	578	50.4	11.5	76
2006	584	49.4	11.8	81
2007	582	49.4	11.8	82.7
2008	571	48.0	11.9	86.1
2009	579	50.0	11.6	85.5
2010	604	52.0	11.6	82.5
2011	700	51.0	13.7	81.3
2012	696	50.0	13.9	78.2
2013	628	48.0	13.0	79
2014	624	47.6	13.1	75.3
2015	611	50.0	12.2	74.6
2016	488	41.0	11.9	64.3
2017	516	40.0	12.9	61.4
2018	515	40.0	12.8	65.8
2019	548	42.0	13.0	60.2
2020	514	44.0	11.6	78.6
2021	461	43.5	10.5	45.3
2022	453	42.5	10.6	n/a
2023	468	39.2	11.9	57.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Garden Hills Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	347	24.0	14.4	n/a
1991	370	25.0	14.8	30
1992	389	28.0	13.8	31.4
1993	430	29.0	14.8	38.6
1994	457	32.8	13.9	38.1
1995	444	35.0	12.7	58.6
1996	444	35.0	12.7	58.6
1997	393	34.2	11.5	64.4
1998	403	34.7	11.6	84.6
1999	410	34.4	11.9	70
2000	443	35.1	12.6	57.8
2001	455	36.9	12.3	73.4
2002	462	38.9	11.9	78.1
2003	462	38.9	11.9	78.1
2004	486	36.0	13.5	72.6
2005	578	50.4	11.5	76
2006	584	49.4	11.8	81
2007	582	49.4	11.8	82.7
2008	571	48.0	11.9	86.1
2009	579	50.0	11.6	85.5
2010	604	52.0	11.6	82.5
2011	700	51.0	13.7	81.3
2012	696	50.0	13.9	78.2
2013	628	48.0	13.0	79
2014	624	47.6	13.1	75.3
2015	611	50.0	12.2	74.6
2016	488	41.0	11.9	64.3
2017	516	40.0	12.9	61.4
2018	515	40.0	12.8	65.8
2019	548	42.0	13.0	60.2
2020	514	44.0	11.6	78.6
2021	461	43.5	10.5	45.3
2022	453	42.5	10.6	n/a
2023	468	39.2	11.9	57.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Garden Hills Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$929 (6.2%)	$14,175 (93.8%)	$15,104
2018	$696 (4.5%)	$14,626 (95.5%)	$15,322
2019	$734 (4.8%)	$14,598 (95.2%)	$15,332

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Garden Hills Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 494^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 466^th of 1242 Elementary schools	2.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Garden Hills Elementary School)	48.8	29.2	19.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Atlanta Public Schools)	36.9	34.5	2.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Garden Hills Elementary School)	57.3	32.9	24.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Atlanta Public Schools)	45.1	36.7	8.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Garden Hills Elementary School)	50	52	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Atlanta Public Schools)	35.7	33.7	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Garden Hills Elementary School)	63.8	50.7	13.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Atlanta Public Schools)	42.3	35.9	6.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Garden Hills Elementary School)	39.8	49.3	9.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Atlanta Public Schools)	38.7	35.9	2.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Garden Hills Elementary School)	30.1	45.6	15.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Atlanta Public Schools)	33.7	29.5	4.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Garden Hills Elementary School)	41	37.7	3.3%
5th Grade Science (Atlanta Public Schools)	37.7	29.7	8%
5th Grade Science (Georgia)	43	40	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	548	468	14.6%
African American	122	200	63.9%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	12	13	8.3%
Hispanic	279	156	44.1%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	113	88	22.1%
Two or More Races	19	11	42.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.2%	57.9%	2.3%

Schools Near Garden Hills Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)			Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)			Milestones Assessment Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Garden Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	285 Sheridan Dr NE	Atlanta	30305	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-7800	468	39	11.9	57.9%	88 (18.8%)	200 (42.7%)	156 (33.3%)	13 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	54	519^th of 1248 public elementary schools	58.4%		58.3	466^th of 1242 public elementary schools	62.5%	53	35.8	41.3	59.2	28.4	53.3	39.4	36.6	$15,332	$734	$14,598
E. Rivers Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8 Peachtree Battle Ave NW	Atlanta	30305	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(404) 802-7050	708	54	13.1	31.8%	247 (34.9%)	243 (34.3%)	146 (20.6%)	20 (2.8%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (6.6%)	67.7	371^st of 1248 public elementary schools	70.3%		67.2	368^th of 1242 public elementary schools	70.4%	3	59.5	49.2	57.1	63.1	49.2	44.6	28.6	$13,961	$492	$13,469
Sara Rawson Smith Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	370 Old Ivy Rd NE	Atlanta	30342	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(404) 802-3850	865	63	13.6	25.5%	276 (31.9%)	278 (32.1%)	185 (21.4%)	59 (6.8%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (7.2%)	67.5	375^th of 1248 public elementary schools	70.0%		73.6	294^th of 1242 public elementary schools	76.3%	81	48.6	53.6	64.2	47.9	47.5	43.1	41.3	$12,921	$437	$12,484
Morris Brandon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2741 Howell Mill Rd NW	Atlanta	30327	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(404) 802-7250	865	59	14.6	12.3%	524 (60.6%)	200 (23.1%)	72 (8.3%)	22 (2.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.3%)	94.3	78^th of 1248 public elementary schools	93.8%		93.7	89^th of 1242 public elementary schools	92.8%	11	73.8	75.4	76.0	74.3	79.5	67.2	63.2	$13,198	$635	$12,563
Woodward Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3034 Curtis Dr NE	Brookhaven	30319	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-7802	544	45	12.2	100.0%	5 (0.9%)	24 (4.4%)	507 (93.2%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	17.9	1041^st of 1248 public elementary schools	16.6%		26.8	885^th of 1242 public elementary schools	28.7%	156	12.4	14.9	30.6	21.3	23.0	24.7	25.9	$11,682	$908	$10,773
Briar Vista Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1131 Briar Vista Ter NE	Atlanta	30324	Fulton County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-5902	446	34	13.2	58.7%	81 (18.2%)	182 (40.8%)	126 (28.3%)	28 (6.3%)	2 (0.4%)	9 (2.0%)	18 (4.0%)	62.1	434^th of 1248 public elementary schools	65.2%		57.9	476^th of 1242 public elementary schools	61.7%	42	52.5	40.7	61.0	44.1	44.1	39.0	44.1	$14,442	$533	$13,909
Virginia-Highland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	774 Virginia Avenue NE	Atlanta	30306	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(404) 802-3500																			(n/a)	78.3	82.8	85.0	79.5	79.3	78.3	73.3
Morningside Elementary School	Public	K-5	1053 E Rock Springs Rd NE	Atlanta	30305	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(404) 802-8950	816	59	13.8	6.1%	540 (66.2%)	81 (9.9%)	70 (8.6%)	51 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (9.1%)	96.4	47^th of 1248 public elementary schools	96.2%		96.8	43^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	96.5%	4	79.3	69.1	82.7	82.0	77.0	70.1	79.5	$12,880	$402	$12,478
Montclair Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1680 Clairmont Pl NE	Brookhaven	30329	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-7302	654	44	14.9	100.0%	4 (0.6%)	61 (9.3%)	579 (88.5%)	5 (0.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	10.2	1183^rd of 1248 public elementary schools	5.2%		14.6	1095^th of 1242 public elementary schools	11.8%	88	14.3	11.0	24.1	12.3	17.1	12.6	13.8	$12,257	$745	$11,512
Jackson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1325 Mount Paran Rd NW	Atlanta	30327	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(404) 802-8800	471	41	11.4	12.5%	241 (51.2%)	115 (24.4%)	47 (10.0%)	31 (6.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.4%)	96.2	51^st of 1248 public elementary schools	95.9%		96.6	48^th of 1242 public elementary schools	96.1%	3	80.6	74.7	79.8	77.6	78.7	76.4	69.7	$15,267	$588	$14,679

Garden Hills Elementary School

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Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Garden Hills Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Garden Hills Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Garden Hills Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Garden Hills Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Garden Hills Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Garden Hills Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Garden Hills Elementary School