Dowell Elementary School

Q: Is Dowell Elementary School a good school?

Dowell Elementary School ranks 744 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dowell Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Marietta, Georgia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 898 students. The school is part of the Cobb County School District, which is ranked 52 out of 203 districts in Georgia and is rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of a highly-rated school district, Dowell Elementary School has consistently underperformed compared to the Cobb County and Georgia state averages in the Milestones Assessment for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The school has a relatively low statewide ranking, placing between 601 and 744 out of 1,200-1,250 Georgia elementary schools over the past 10 years, and has been rated 2-3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger during this period, indicating below-average performance compared to other schools in the state. Additionally, Dowell Elementary has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 55.72% to 59.13% over the past 3 years, significantly higher than the state average.

When comparing Dowell Elementary to nearby schools in the Cobb County district, it becomes clear that Dowell is underperforming academically. For example, Still Elementary School, located just 2.74 miles away, consistently outperforms Dowell in Milestones Assessment scores across all grade levels and subject areas. This suggests that factors beyond just the district and funding levels may be contributing to Dowell's lower academic performance, and the school's high proportion of economically disadvantaged students may be a contributing factor. However, with the resources and expertise available within the Cobb County district, there may be opportunities for Dowell Elementary to implement targeted strategies to improve student outcomes and better support the needs of its community.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2121 W Sandtown Rd SW
Marietta, GA 30064

(678) 594-8059

District: Cobb County

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,364

Student/teacher ratio: 11.6

Number of students: 880

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

40.7%

African American:

35.7%

White:

14.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71.7%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Dowell Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Dowell Elementary School ranks worse than 59.6% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 46^th among 64 ranked elementary schools in the Cobb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.74. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Dowell Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (40.7%), African American (35.7%), White (14.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dowell Elementary School is 11.6, which is the 26^th best among 64 elementary schools in the Cobb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Dowell Elementary School employs 75.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dowell Elementary School is $10,364. 45 elementary schools in the Cobb County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dowell 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 Dowell Elementary School.

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Rank History for Dowell Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	55.96	566^th	1101	48.6%
2007	58.46	521^st	1125	53.7%
2008	40.89	754^th	1134	33.5%
2009	51.02	621^st	1133	45.2%
2010	57.85	569^th	1183	51.9%
2011	49.99	715^th	1212	41.0%
2012	57.34	622^nd	1201	48.2%
2013	54.77	674^th	1225	45.0%
2014	59.17	598^th	1231	51.4%
2015	52.42	549^th	1240	55.7%
2016	41.68	690^th	1233	44.0%
2017	55.48	476^th	1205	60.5%
2018	46.90	601^st	1209	50.3%
2019	46.15	639^th	1234	48.2%
2021	39.23	687^th	1214	43.4%
2022	45.31	624^th	1244	49.8%
2023	40.92	673^rd	1242	45.8%
2024	36.74	744^th	1248	40.4%

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: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, August 16, 2023

This school is unfairly ranked! My daughter attended this school for 6 years and the teachers, administrators and leadership at this school were always amazing. They didn’t just teach my daughter but they made an impact on her life. And you can say I was just lucky but then my middle daughter went into Dowell and her experience was amazing and even through COVID they made her feel so loved. I would to go to war for this school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Dowell Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	822	822
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	895	895
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1016	1016
1994	938	72	11	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	1028
1995	988	90	11	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	1095
1996	988	90	11	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	1095
1997	1012	100	12	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1129
1998	669	173	17	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	873
1999	647	189	13	16	3	n/a	n/a	0	868
2000	568	228	16	33	2	n/a	n/a	0	847
2001	546	266	11	52	1	n/a	n/a	0	876
2002	413	315	22	84	0	n/a	n/a	0	834
2003	413	315	22	84	0	n/a	n/a	0	834
2004	392	340	29	115	2	n/a	n/a	0	878
2005	335	364	35	174	1	n/a	n/a	33	942
2006	296	394	40	217	1	n/a	n/a	34	982
2007	264	404	34	288	1	n/a	n/a	36	1027
2008	230	414	29	335	2	n/a	n/a	58	1068
2009	221	425	35	331	1	n/a	n/a	48	1061
2010	215	420	36	330	1	0	0	0	1002
2011	192	399	34	322	1	1	27	0	976
2012	196	402	32	325	2	1	36	0	994
2013	174	369	32	327	3	1	27	0	933
2014	166	349	30	341	2	1	29	0	918
2015	157	335	35	332	3	1	24	0	887
2016	175	406	34	358	2	2	33	0	1010
2017	158	400	25	351	0	0	34	0	968
2018	135	400	27	358	0	0	44	0	964
2019	139	391	32	377	0	0	45	0	984
2020	139	395	25	367	2	0	53	0	981
2021	118	351	23	348	2	0	50	0	892
2022	110	322	24	342	2	1	58	0	859
2023	131	327	26	357	2	1	54	0	898
2024	125	314	30	358	2	1	50	0	880

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 Dowell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	822	39.0	21.0	2.8
1992	895	44.5	20.1	3.5
1993	1016	46.0	22.1	3.2
1994	1028	57.8	17.8	7.2
1995	1095	67.2	16.3	9.4
1996	1095	67.2	16.3	9.4
1997	1129	62.5	18.1	10.5
1998	873	58.3	15.0	13.1
1999	868	59.3	14.6	17.4
2000	847	56.0	15.1	17.1
2001	876	62.0	14.1	18.3
2002	834	58.0	14.4	28.7
2003	834	58.0	14.4	28.7
2004	878	62.0	14.2	36.6
2005	942	65.9	14.3	42.1
2006	982	71.9	13.7	50.4
2007	1027	81.4	12.6	53.4
2008	1068	85.9	12.4	57
2009	1061	84.7	12.5	59.5
2010	1002	85.4	11.7	62.7
2011	976	72.5	13.4	65.5
2012	994	72.4	13.7	66.8
2013	933	72.5	12.8	72.7
2014	918	71.5	12.8	71
2015	887	68.0	13.0	70
2016	1010	66.0	15.3	71.2
2017	968	71.5	13.5	67.4
2018	964	70.5	13.6	65.1
2019	984	71.1	13.8	62.3
2020	981	74.8	13.1	59.1
2021	892	72.7	12.2	55.7
2022	859	72.8	11.7	n/a
2023	898	69.6	12.9	59.1
2024	880	75.6	11.6	71.7

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 Dowell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	822	39.0	21.0	2.8
1992	895	44.5	20.1	3.5
1993	1016	46.0	22.1	3.2
1994	1028	57.8	17.8	7.2
1995	1095	67.2	16.3	9.4
1996	1095	67.2	16.3	9.4
1997	1129	62.5	18.1	10.5
1998	873	58.3	15.0	13.1
1999	868	59.3	14.6	17.4
2000	847	56.0	15.1	17.1
2001	876	62.0	14.1	18.3
2002	834	58.0	14.4	28.7
2003	834	58.0	14.4	28.7
2004	878	62.0	14.2	36.6
2005	942	65.9	14.3	42.1
2006	982	71.9	13.7	50.4
2007	1027	81.4	12.6	53.4
2008	1068	85.9	12.4	57
2009	1061	84.7	12.5	59.5
2010	1002	85.4	11.7	62.7
2011	976	72.5	13.4	65.5
2012	994	72.4	13.7	66.8
2013	933	72.5	12.8	72.7
2014	918	71.5	12.8	71
2015	887	68.0	13.0	70
2016	1010	66.0	15.3	71.2
2017	968	71.5	13.5	67.4
2018	964	70.5	13.6	65.1
2019	984	71.1	13.8	62.3
2020	981	74.8	13.1	59.1
2021	892	72.7	12.2	55.7
2022	859	72.8	11.7	n/a
2023	898	69.6	12.9	59.1
2024	880	75.6	11.6	71.7

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 Dowell Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$763 (7.8%)	$9,072 (92.2%)	$9,835
2018	$472 (4.7%)	$9,495 (95.3%)	$9,967
2019	$568 (5.5%)	$9,796 (94.5%)	$10,364

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dowell 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 639^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 673^rd of 1242 Elementary schools	2.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dowell Elementary School)	37.8	40.7	2.9%
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 (Dowell Elementary School)	43.2	37.7	5.5%
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 (Dowell Elementary School)	35.9	29.4	6.5%
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 (Dowell Elementary School)	39.4	29.4	10%
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 (Dowell Elementary School)	50	34.9	15.1%
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 (Dowell Elementary School)	33	26	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	47.2	44.2	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Dowell Elementary School)	41.7	31.5	10.2%
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	984	898	8.7%
African American	391	327	16.4%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	32	26	18.8%
Hispanic	377	357	5.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	139	131	5.8%
Two or More Races	45	54	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	62.3%	59.1%	3.2%

Schools Near Dowell 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
Dowell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2121 W Sandtown Rd SW	Marietta	30064	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 594-8059	880	76	11.6	71.7%	125 (14.2%)	314 (35.7%)	358 (40.7%)	30 (3.4%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (5.7%)	36.7	744^th of 1248 public elementary schools	40.4%		40.9	673^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	45.8%	71	31.6	38.2	38.2	24.7	38.8	29.3	28.5	$10,364	$568	$9,796
Cheatham Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1350 John Ward Rd SW	Marietta	30064	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8034	990	80	12.3	42.7%	385 (38.9%)	243 (24.5%)	278 (28.1%)	30 (3.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (5.4%)	77.3	260^th of 1248 public elementary schools	79.2%		79.3	234^th of 1242 public elementary schools	81.2%	26	48.5	48.8	69.2	52.8	56.4	65.4	48.6	$10,769	$240	$10,529
Hollydale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2901 Bay Berry Dr SW	Marietta	30008	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 594-8143	546	60	9.0	88.5%	49 (9.0%)	161 (29.5%)	294 (53.8%)	15 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.9%)	25.7	920^th of 1248 public elementary schools	26.3%		19	1021^st of 1242 public elementary schools	17.8%	101	24.3	28.0	38.9	18.3	40.0	22.1	20.0	$12,721	$673	$12,048
Still Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	870 Casteel Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8287	757	64	11.9	35.5%	334 (44.1%)	219 (28.9%)	123 (16.2%)	23 (3.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (7.5%)	78	252^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	79.8%		82.3	204^th of 1242 public elementary schools	83.6%	48	55.1	54.1	64.3	54.2	63.9	53.0	46.1	$12,686	$669	$12,017
Milford Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2390 Austell Rd SW	Marietta	30008	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 842-6966	353	41	8.6	92.4%	14 (4.0%)	105 (29.7%)	223 (63.2%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.5%)	35.5	765^th of 1248 public elementary schools	38.7%		44.2	629^th of 1242 public elementary schools	49.4%	136	21.8	21.8	44.2	43.6	38.9	32.7	26.9	$14,587	$869	$13,718
Miles Ahead Charter School	Public, Charter	K-5	4665 Macland Road	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	State Specialty Schools II- Miles Ahead Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(770) 313-4841	194	14	13.8		10 (5.2%)	162 (83.5%)	19 (9.8%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	35.1	772^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	38.1%					(n/a)	33.3	40.0		20.8	30.0
Compton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3450 New Macland Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3700	631	56	11.3	91.4%	47 (7.4%)	335 (53.1%)	222 (35.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.0%)	23.5	953^rd of 1248 public elementary schools	23.6%		25.1	912^th of 1242 public elementary schools	26.6%	41	26.2	24.4	28.4	23.8	41.1	12.6	21.1	$13,048	$846	$12,202
Varner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4761 Gaydon Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3775	761	58	13.2	65.3%	108 (14.2%)	417 (54.8%)	160 (21.0%)	17 (2.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (7.5%)	57.8	472^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	62.2%		49.8	553^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	55.5%	81	40.2	36.4	57.0	41.0	39.5	53.5	40.8	$10,720	$667	$10,053
Birney Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	775 Smyrna Powder Springs Rd	Marietta	30060	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 842-6824	686	64	10.7	88.6%	26 (3.8%)	262 (38.2%)	348 (50.7%)	18 (2.6%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.2%)	31.6	818^th of 1248 public elementary schools	34.5%		24.1	933^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	24.9%	115	22.9	26.7	43.4	28.3	38.3	30.3	24.2	$12,060	$699	$11,361
Sanders Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1550 Anderson Mill Rd	Austell	30106	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 819-2568	619	54	11.4	91.1%	35 (5.7%)	349 (56.4%)	204 (33.0%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (3.7%)	33.8	790^th of 1248 public elementary schools	36.7%		24.7	923^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	25.7%	133	32.0	26.6	34.7	31.1	40.9	29.7	28.7	$11,597	$705	$10,891

Frequently Asked Questions about Dowell Elementary School

How many students attend Dowell Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 880 students attended Dowell Elementary School.

Is Dowell Elementary School a good school?

Dowell Elementary School ranks 744^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Dowell Elementary School in?

Cobb County

What is the racial makeup of Dowell Elementary School?

Students at Dowell Elementary School are 41% Hispanic, 36% African American, 14% White, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

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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.