Bells Ferry Elementary School

Q: Is Bells Ferry Elementary School a good school?

Bells Ferry Elementary School ranks 424 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Bells Ferry Elementary School is a public elementary school in Marietta, Georgia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 716 students. The school is part of the Cobb County School District, which is ranked 52 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Bells Ferry Elementary School has shown mixed performance compared to the Cobb County and Georgia averages. While the school's 5th-grade English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rate was higher than the district and state, its overall proficiency rates in ELA and Mathematics were generally lower. The school's science proficiency rate for 5th grade was also lower than the district and state averages. Bells Ferry's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 128th out of 1,205 Georgia elementary schools in 2016-2017 to 424th out of 1,248 in the most recent school year, with a 3-star rating. The school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 42.62% to 46.79% in recent years.

When compared to nearby schools in the Cobb County School District, Addison Elementary and Kincaid Elementary generally outperform Bells Ferry Elementary in academic areas. However, Bells Ferry outperforms some other nearby schools, such as Blackwell Elementary and Chalker Elementary. Compared to schools in the Marietta City School District, Bells Ferry generally performs better, with higher proficiency rates and statewide rankings.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2600 Bells Ferry Rd
Marietta, GA 30066

(678) 594-8950

District: Cobb County

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,122

Students who attend Bells Ferry Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Daniell Middle School
High:	Sprayberry High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 762

Racial breakdown:

African American:

35.8%

Hispanic:

22.7%

White:

21.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62.9%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Bells Ferry Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bells Ferry Elementary School ranks better than 66% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 32^nd among 64 ranked elementary schools in the Cobb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.06. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Bells Ferry Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (35.8%), Hispanic (22.7%), White (21%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bells Ferry Elementary School is 15.2, which is the highest among 66 elementary schools in the Cobb County School District! (See more...)

Compare Bells Ferry Elementary School employs 50.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bells Ferry Elementary School is $9,122. 63 elementary schools in the Cobb County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Bells Ferry Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Cobb County:

SchoolDigger ranks Cobb County 52^nd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Bells Ferry Elementary School.

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Rank History for Bells Ferry Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	81.43	138^th	1101	87.5%
2007	77.71	214^th	1125	81.0%
2008	79.14	175^th	1134	84.6%
2009	80.77	163^rd	1133	85.6%
2010	81.79	159^th	1183	86.6%
2011	82.69	150^th	1212	87.6%
2012	76.91	250^th	1201	79.2%
2013	79.32	209^th	1225	82.9%
2014	80.40	172^nd	1231	86.0%
2015	77.75	235^th	1240	81.0%
2016	78.65	223^rd	1233	81.9%
2017	88.07	128^th	1205	89.4%
2018	82.01	199^th	1209	83.5%
2019	77.45	252^nd	1234	79.6%
2021	53.50	519^th	1214	57.2%
2022	60.84	447^th	1244	64.1%
2023	59.49	449^th	1242	63.8%
2024	63.06	424^th	1248	66.0%

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: 3)

33%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, January 29, 2017

This is a very solid school for about K-2 or K-3. The student body is very diverse but many of the teachers have the Old South way of thinking and doing things. This puts one group in particular at a disadvantage. The Advance-Ed report has some info on Bells Ferry. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Bells Ferry is a wonderful school. I was privileged to have my children go there. The teachers and staff are hard-working and very caring. They did a lot to see that my children were successful. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, May 4, 2010

I have had such a difficult time dealing with some of these teachers. They seem to be so bitter and seems as if they dislike their job. I am not here to name drop but I am VERY disappointed in this school as a whole. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Bells Ferry 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	692	692
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	566	566
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	615	615
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	669	669
1994	505	41	22	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	576
1995	500	46	23	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1996	500	46	23	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1997	497	57	29	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	597
1998	495	66	41	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	619
1999	342	52	22	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	426
2000	314	68	31	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	428
2001	299	73	30	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	420
2002	253	86	36	54	0	n/a	n/a	0	429
2003	253	86	36	54	0	n/a	n/a	0	429
2004	247	85	41	61	1	n/a	n/a	0	435
2005	239	137	44	76	3	n/a	n/a	28	527
2006	234	154	72	89	4	n/a	n/a	40	593
2007	231	164	77	91	3	n/a	n/a	47	613
2008	240	162	78	123	2	n/a	n/a	49	654
2009	205	147	82	81	1	n/a	n/a	44	560
2010	250	152	87	88	6	0	0	0	583
2011	235	167	87	77	4	0	33	0	603
2012	233	173	83	72	1	0	31	0	593
2013	223	188	91	86	1	0	23	0	612
2014	192	195	88	98	3	0	28	0	604
2015	221	236	83	122	4	0	22	0	688
2016	217	227	92	120	5	0	23	0	684
2017	216	231	105	115	5	0	24	0	696
2018	223	202	103	139	5	0	25	0	697
2019	229	236	113	165	8	0	22	0	773
2020	212	248	106	144	4	0	29	0	743
2021	192	242	107	154	3	0	34	0	732
2022	171	235	110	167	1	0	35	0	719
2023	158	260	106	145	0	0	47	0	716
2024	160	273	95	173	0	2	59	0	762

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 Bells Ferry Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	692	36.0	19.2	8.5
1991	566	45.0	12.5	7.4
1992	615	33.0	18.6	12.4
1993	669	36.0	18.6	12
1994	576	37.5	15.4	9
1995	580	35.2	16.5	8.1
1996	580	35.2	16.5	8.1
1997	597	38.5	15.5	12.2
1998	619	39.8	15.6	10.5
1999	426	31.8	13.4	11.3
2000	428	29.5	14.5	12.9
2001	420	32.9	12.8	15.7
2002	429	29.9	14.3	24.5
2003	429	29.9	14.3	24.5
2004	435	30.5	14.3	34.3
2005	527	35.8	14.7	41.9
2006	593	41.8	14.2	40.1
2007	613	49.5	12.4	42.4
2008	654	48.0	13.6	45.5
2009	560	47.5	11.8	48.3
2010	583	47.0	12.4	45.6
2011	603	45.0	13.4	46.3
2012	593	44.0	13.4	43.7
2013	612	40.0	15.3	45.3
2014	604	40.5	14.9	45.4
2015	688	44.0	15.6	45.8
2016	684	48.0	14.2	42.8
2017	696	46.0	15.1	42.2
2018	697	45.0	15.4	38.7
2019	773	45.2	17.1	40.4
2020	743	52.0	14.2	40
2021	732	50.2	14.5	42.6
2022	719	49.8	14.4	n/a
2023	716	50.1	14.2	46.8
2024	762	50.1	15.2	62.9

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 Bells Ferry Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	692	36.0	19.2	8.5
1991	566	45.0	12.5	7.4
1992	615	33.0	18.6	12.4
1993	669	36.0	18.6	12
1994	576	37.5	15.4	9
1995	580	35.2	16.5	8.1
1996	580	35.2	16.5	8.1
1997	597	38.5	15.5	12.2
1998	619	39.8	15.6	10.5
1999	426	31.8	13.4	11.3
2000	428	29.5	14.5	12.9
2001	420	32.9	12.8	15.7
2002	429	29.9	14.3	24.5
2003	429	29.9	14.3	24.5
2004	435	30.5	14.3	34.3
2005	527	35.8	14.7	41.9
2006	593	41.8	14.2	40.1
2007	613	49.5	12.4	42.4
2008	654	48.0	13.6	45.5
2009	560	47.5	11.8	48.3
2010	583	47.0	12.4	45.6
2011	603	45.0	13.4	46.3
2012	593	44.0	13.4	43.7
2013	612	40.0	15.3	45.3
2014	604	40.5	14.9	45.4
2015	688	44.0	15.6	45.8
2016	684	48.0	14.2	42.8
2017	696	46.0	15.1	42.2
2018	697	45.0	15.4	38.7
2019	773	45.2	17.1	40.4
2020	743	52.0	14.2	40
2021	732	50.2	14.5	42.6
2022	719	49.8	14.4	n/a
2023	716	50.1	14.2	46.8
2024	762	50.1	15.2	62.9

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 Bells Ferry Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$160 (1.7%)	$9,183 (98.3%)	$9,342
2018	$208 (2.1%)	$9,668 (97.9%)	$9,875
2019	$190 (2.1%)	$8,933 (97.9%)	$9,122

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bells Ferry 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 252^nd of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 449^th of 1242 Elementary schools	15.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bells Ferry Elementary School)	41.2	33.9	7.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cobb County)	48.5	47.2	1.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bells Ferry Elementary School)	61.3	35	26.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	58.1	50.4	7.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bells Ferry Elementary School)	54.8	46.3	8.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cobb County)	50.8	46.3	4.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bells Ferry Elementary School)	71.6	51.2	20.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	57.4	52.8	4.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bells Ferry Elementary School)	64.1	49.1	15%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cobb County)	54.9	51	3.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bells Ferry Elementary School)	53.4	36.8	16.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	47.2	44.2	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Bells Ferry Elementary School)	59	47.4	11.6%
5th Grade Science (Cobb County)	47	44.1	2.9%
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	773	716	7.4%
African American	236	260	10.2%
American Indian	8	0	100%
Asian	113	106	6.2%
Hispanic	165	145	12.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	229	158	31%
Two or More Races	22	47	113.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	40.4%	46.8%	6.4%

Schools Near Bells Ferry 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
Bells Ferry Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2600 Bells Ferry Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8950	762	50	15.2	62.9%	160 (21.0%)	273 (35.8%)	173 (22.7%)	95 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	59 (7.7%)	63.1	424^th of 1248 public elementary schools	66.0%		59.5	449^th of 1242 public elementary schools	63.8%	25	42.5	38.9	56.5	49.3	45.4	50.4	44.4	$9,122	$190	$8,933
Blackwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3470 Canton Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 494-7600	583	52	11.2	55.2%	262 (44.9%)	93 (16.0%)	140 (24.0%)	33 (5.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (9.1%)	54.9	506^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.5%		49.9	550^th of 1242 public elementary schools	55.7%	44	35.6	41.5	56.6	34.7	52.8	42.4	35.4	$11,176	$213	$10,963
Chalker Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 N Booth Rd NW	Kennesaw	30144	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 494-7621	682	53	12.9	49.9%	290 (42.5%)	173 (25.4%)	136 (19.9%)	20 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (9.2%)	57.2	475^th of 1248 public elementary schools	61.9%		51.2	538^th of 1242 public elementary schools	56.7%	63	46.7	34.3	55.5	48.6	31.5	45.4	42.9	$10,037	$255	$9,782
Sawyer Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	840 Sawyer Rd	Marietta	30062	Cobb County	Marietta City	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 429-9923	546	63	8.7	85.5%	47 (8.6%)	177 (32.4%)	278 (50.9%)	8 (1.5%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.1%)	39.2	707^th of 1248 public elementary schools	43.3%		38.1	720^th of 1242 public elementary schools	42.0%	13	23.5	35.6	40.0	32.9	44.4	34.7	31.6	$13,057	$670	$12,387
Kincaid Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1410 Kincaid Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 578-7238	611	47	13.1	33.1%	317 (51.9%)	78 (12.8%)	117 (19.1%)	55 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	41 (6.7%)	88.6	150^th of 1248 public elementary schools	88.0%		91	123^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	90.1%	27	58.0	58.6	75.4	58.0	73.6	68.1	62.8	$11,380	$188	$11,192
Big Shanty Elementary School	Public	3-5	1575 Ben King Rd NW	Kennesaw	30144	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8023	545	45	12.0	53.4%	180 (33.0%)	178 (32.7%)	124 (22.8%)	15 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (8.8%)	67.7	369^th of 1248 public elementary schools	70.4%		67.1	371^st of 1242 public elementary schools	70.1%	2	46.4	51.6	53.9	57.9	65.9	41.4	35.1	$11,901	$198	$11,703
Addison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3055 Ebenezer Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 578-2700	571	47	12.1	35.0%	293 (51.3%)	68 (11.9%)	109 (19.1%)	42 (7.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (10.0%)	84.7	181^st of 1248 public elementary schools	85.5%		87.6	153^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	87.7%	28	62.6	43.0	67.8	74.7	54.0	72.2	68.9	$10,649	$201	$10,448
Lockheed Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1205 Merritt Rd	Marietta	30062	Cobb County	Marietta City	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 429-3196	719	78	9.2	89.6%	39 (5.4%)	246 (34.2%)	406 (56.5%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.1%)	20	1005^th of 1248 public elementary schools	19.5%		17.8	1053^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	15.2%	48	15.3	14.8	29.9	17.9	35.2	31.4	15.3	$12,710	$618	$12,092
Nicholson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1599 Shallowford Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 928-5573	414	40	10.2	47.6%	228 (55.1%)	43 (10.4%)	101 (24.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (9.4%)	71.1	331^st of 1248 public elementary schools	73.5%		73.3	298^th of 1242 public elementary schools	76.0%	33	58.8	56.9	63.5	66.0	44.4	25.7	59.5	$12,333	$352	$11,980
West Side Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	344 Polk St NW	Marietta	30064	Cobb County	Marietta City	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 429-3172	531	44	12.0	17.3%	399 (75.1%)	55 (10.4%)	37 (7.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.3%)	96.5	43^rd of 1248 public elementary schools	96.6%		92.7	96^th of 1242 public elementary schools	92.3%	53	85.7	77.6	77.2	92.2	88.2	74.7	63.3	$11,224	$183	$11,040

Frequently Asked Questions about Bells Ferry Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Bells Ferry Elementary School?

Students at Bells Ferry Elementary School are 36% African American, 23% Hispanic, 21% White, 12% Asian, 8% Two or more races.

How many students attend Bells Ferry Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 762 students attended Bells Ferry Elementary School.

Is Bells Ferry Elementary School a good school?

Bells Ferry Elementary School ranks 424^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Bells Ferry Elementary School in?

Cobb County

What schools do graduates of Bells Ferry Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Bells Ferry Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Daniell Middle School
High : Sprayberry High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.