Is Varner Elementary School a good school?

Varner Elementary School ranks 472 nd of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Varner Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 766 students attended Varner Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Varner Elementary School?

Students at Varner Elementary School are 58% African American, 18% Hispanic, 14% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Varner Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Varner Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Tapp Middle School High : McEachern High School

Varner Elementary School

Summary:

Varner Elementary School is a public elementary school in Powder Springs, Georgia, serving 766 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Cobb County School District, which is ranked 52 out of 203 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Varner Elementary's test scores, as measured by the Milestones Assessment, are generally lower than the Cobb County and Georgia averages across all grade levels and subject areas, the school maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12 to 12.5, comparable to nearby schools like Cheatham Hill Elementary and Kemp Elementary. Varner Elementary also serves a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students, with 50.49% to 54.96% of its students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than the nearby schools.

Varner Elementary's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, currently standing at 472 out of 1,248 Georgia elementary schools, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. When compared to nearby schools, Varner Elementary generally performs below average in mathematics and science, with lower proficiency rates than schools like Cheatham Hill Elementary and Kemp Elementary. The school may benefit from exploring strategies to support its economically disadvantaged student population and improve performance in these subject areas.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4761 Gaydon Rd
Powder Springs, GA 30127

(770) 222-3775

District: Cobb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
472^nd of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Students who attend Varner Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Tapp Middle School
High:	McEachern High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 766

Racial breakdown:

African American:

58.0%

Hispanic:

18.3%

White:

14.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Varner Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Varner Elementary School ranks better than 62.2% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.82. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

Varner 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 Varner Elementary School.

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Rank History for Varner Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	57.38	541^st	1101	50.9%
2007	70.60	340^th	1125	69.8%
2008	69.24	341^st	1134	69.9%
2009	59.06	507^th	1133	55.3%
2010	65.32	455^th	1183	61.5%
2011	68.67	424^th	1212	65.0%
2012	60.69	563^rd	1201	53.1%
2013	65.04	480^th	1225	60.8%
2014	70.38	398^th	1231	67.7%
2015	50.82	569^th	1240	54.1%
2016	53.09	522^nd	1233	57.7%
2017	62.07	401^st	1205	66.7%
2018	49.04	571^st	1209	52.8%
2019	47.13	624^th	1234	49.4%
2021	47.31	590^th	1214	51.4%
2022	58.78	465^th	1244	62.6%
2023	49.83	553^rd	1242	55.5%
2024	57.82	472^nd	1248	62.2%

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: 2.6)

25%

12%

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, July 12, 2021

Our daughter has been going to Varner since Kindergarten and we have had no issues. We are really glad she can go to this school. She will be going to first grade this coming school year. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, October 29, 2018

We are very disappointed in Varner Elementary due to poor leadership: the administration is significantly lacking in both communication as well as organization. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, September 4, 2012

My daughter recently graduated from Varner, and we decided to send our 2nd grader elsewhere. Varner has several excellent educators, but their efforts are undermined by a watered down, teach to the test curriculum and poor leadership from the prinicipal and assistant principal. The parents are willing and able to help improve the school, but the principal keeps them from taking ownership of THEIR school.

As parents, we just didn't feel as though we had a voice at Varner. During the six years, our daughter attended the school, there were 3 different principals, but no real improvement. Simply put, Varner is just an average school that doesn't challenge bright students or give struggling ones the help they need.

If you can do so, send your child to a private or charter school instead. We did just that, and have never looked back! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Varner is an amazing place to have your kids reach their potential. My son has developed his independence and confidence through the careful attention of his teachers. My little girl is so excited to start her Varner journey and as a parent I know she will excell in this environment just as her brother did. The PTA is amazing and the growing number of involved parents is only going to make things even better! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, September 26, 2011

Varner Elementary is a well run school. The Principal is very clear that academics is first in the school and the school continues to score higher each year. It is wonderfully diverse with a strong PTA and lots of parents who volunteer for school events. Last year the school had a 100% membership rate with parents, teachers and administrators. The teachers are caring, they communicate to us about our children and they spend some of their off-time making sure they're preparing for the class. Each year, through PTA events, Box Tops for Kids and other fundraisers, the school purchases additional needs like White Boards, an air conditioning unit and hopefully in a few years a track. I appreciate the school and the underpaid teachers who keep it such a warm place. I'm very pleased with our choice to send our children here and I look forward to more fulfilling moments for my children in the years to come. Close Quote

by a teacher
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Varner's Principal came to the school at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. Because of her need to rule and not lead, she has the entire staff feeling as though they could lose their jobs at any minute. They are aware that this principal cannot hire and fire them at will. That doesn't keep her from making up false reports to put in their files. They are forced to do exactly what she says to do even if it puts a communication barrier between a teacher and a parent of a child in that teacher's class. She is completely aware of things happening in the school that are disruptive and even harmful to the children but instead of addressing the people involved, her answer is to ignore any requests for a meeting so clarification can be made. Varner's test scores are plummeting each year and it doesn't have to be that way. The school is full of amazing teachers who care very much for the children helping them succeed. But, when you have to go to work every day in a boot camp atmosphere with an unethical, two faced woman as your boss, staying focused and positive becomes more and more difficult. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Varner 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	576	576
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	721	721
1994	741	28	7	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	785
1995	876	75	10	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	967
1996	876	75	10	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	967
1997	937	97	8	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	1050
1998	907	67	10	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	991
1999	1002	103	10	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	1123
2000	1022	122	9	12	2	n/a	n/a	0	1167
2001	1004	157	13	25	1	n/a	n/a	0	1200
2002	539	170	6	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	739
2003	539	170	6	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	739
2004	538	188	8	43	1	n/a	n/a	0	778
2005	478	231	6	44	2	n/a	n/a	44	805
2006	440	299	7	53	2	n/a	n/a	52	853
2007	384	291	7	56	2	n/a	n/a	52	792
2008	378	293	16	73	1	n/a	n/a	58	819
2009	328	348	17	85	0	n/a	n/a	46	824
2010	303	412	17	95	6	3	0	0	836
2011	289	371	11	90	1	0	41	0	803
2012	276	355	18	82	0	0	45	0	776
2013	236	328	22	80	0	0	38	0	704
2014	200	345	15	94	0	0	29	0	683
2015	184	346	22	100	3	0	30	0	685
2016	177	365	18	105	3	2	25	0	695
2017	171	384	17	104	3	1	27	0	707
2018	153	447	14	122	3	1	28	0	768
2019	136	489	14	127	0	2	28	0	796
2020	145	509	13	135	0	3	38	0	843
2021	127	501	17	138	0	0	41	0	824
2022	108	470	16	139	1	0	41	0	775
2023	107	444	18	140	1	0	56	0	766

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 Varner Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	576	35.0	16.4	2.6
1992	615	35.5	17.3	2.8
1993	721	38.0	19.0	4.9
1994	785	45.1	17.4	6.5
1995	967	54.5	17.7	5.6
1996	967	54.5	17.7	5.6
1997	1050	57.5	18.3	6.9
1998	991	55.8	17.8	10.3
1999	1123	60.8	18.5	8.6
2000	1167	63.4	18.4	10.1
2001	1200	67.9	17.7	9.2
2002	739	51.4	14.4	16.1
2003	739	51.4	14.4	16.1
2004	778	51.0	15.3	18.9
2005	805	52.0	15.5	26.4
2006	853	57.9	14.7	27.2
2007	792	64.5	12.3	28.8
2008	819	62.0	13.2	31.1
2009	824	64.1	12.9	35.1
2010	836	61.1	13.6	40.3
2011	803	58.0	13.8	41.7
2012	776	59.4	13.0	39.9
2013	704	50.7	13.8	46.3
2014	683	51.5	13.2	49
2015	685	50.0	13.7	54.3
2016	695	50.0	13.9	54.4
2017	707	49.0	14.4	57.4
2018	768	54.0	14.2	58.1
2019	796	56.5	14.0	57.2
2020	843	63.6	13.2	54.2
2021	824	66.4	12.4	50.5
2022	775	64.4	12.0	n/a
2023	766	61.2	12.5	55

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 Varner Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	576	35.0	16.4	2.6
1992	615	35.5	17.3	2.8
1993	721	38.0	19.0	4.9
1994	785	45.1	17.4	6.5
1995	967	54.5	17.7	5.6
1996	967	54.5	17.7	5.6
1997	1050	57.5	18.3	6.9
1998	991	55.8	17.8	10.3
1999	1123	60.8	18.5	8.6
2000	1167	63.4	18.4	10.1
2001	1200	67.9	17.7	9.2
2002	739	51.4	14.4	16.1
2003	739	51.4	14.4	16.1
2004	778	51.0	15.3	18.9
2005	805	52.0	15.5	26.4
2006	853	57.9	14.7	27.2
2007	792	64.5	12.3	28.8
2008	819	62.0	13.2	31.1
2009	824	64.1	12.9	35.1
2010	836	61.1	13.6	40.3
2011	803	58.0	13.8	41.7
2012	776	59.4	13.0	39.9
2013	704	50.7	13.8	46.3
2014	683	51.5	13.2	49
2015	685	50.0	13.7	54.3
2016	695	50.0	13.9	54.4
2017	707	49.0	14.4	57.4
2018	768	54.0	14.2	58.1
2019	796	56.5	14.0	57.2
2020	843	63.6	13.2	54.2
2021	824	66.4	12.4	50.5
2022	775	64.4	12.0	n/a
2023	766	61.2	12.5	55

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 Varner Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$333 (3.3%)	$9,651 (96.7%)	$9,984
2018	$882 (8.4%)	$9,571 (91.6%)	$10,453
2019	$667 (6.2%)	$10,053 (93.8%)	$10,720

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Varner 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 624^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 553^rd of 1242 Elementary schools	6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Varner Elementary School)	34.4	28.5	5.9%
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 (Varner Elementary School)	38.9	31.7	7.2%
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 (Varner Elementary School)	46.9	37.2	9.7%
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 (Varner Elementary School)	55.6	46.7	8.9%
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 (Varner Elementary School)	48.7	47.6	1.1%
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 (Varner Elementary School)	42.6	34.7	7.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cobb County)	47.2	44.2	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Varner Elementary School)	33	37.1	4.1%
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	796	766	3.8%
African American	489	444	9.2%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	14	18	28.6%
Hispanic	127	140	10.2%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	136	107	21.3%
Two or More Races	28	56	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	57.2%	55%	2.2%

Schools Near Varner 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
Varner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4761 Gaydon Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3775	766	61	12.5	55.0%	107 (14.0%)	444 (58.0%)	140 (18.3%)	18 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (7.3%)	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
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)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(770) 313-4841	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	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	591	55	10.7	81.6%	47 (8.0%)	289 (48.9%)	226 (38.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.4%)	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
Kemp Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	865 Corner Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8158	886	61	14.5	18.7%	446 (50.3%)	271 (30.6%)	80 (9.0%)	25 (2.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (7.1%)	90.8	123^rd of 1248 public elementary schools	90.1%		91.5	115^th of 1242 public elementary schools	90.7%	8	62.4	64.4	73.4	70.9	73.1	67.9	57.8	$10,271	$192	$10,079
Powder Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4570 Grady Grier Dr	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 222-3746	823	63	13.0	69.4%	54 (6.6%)	528 (64.2%)	169 (20.5%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (7.9%)	37.4	736^th of 1248 public elementary schools	41.0%		32.8	798^th of 1242 public elementary schools	35.7%	62	40.6	29.3	47.3	33.6	31.4	27.9	22.5	$10,644	$657	$9,987
Still Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	870 Casteel Rd	Powder Springs	30127	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 594-8287	782	62	12.6	26.1%	346 (44.2%)	235 (30.1%)	111 (14.2%)	27 (3.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (7.9%)	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
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	898	70	12.9	59.1%	131 (14.6%)	327 (36.4%)	357 (39.8%)	26 (2.9%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (6.0%)	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
Hiram Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Seaboard Ave	Hiram	30141	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 443-3392	816	55	14.8	60.7%	137 (16.8%)	480 (58.8%)	131 (16.1%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	58 (7.1%)	31.5	821^st of 1248 public elementary schools	34.2%		28.7	855^th of 1242 public elementary schools	31.2%	34	32.5	30.7	39.4	35.1	26.5	22.0	26.4	$10,047	$1,167	$8,880
McGarity Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	262 Rakestraw Mill Rd	Hiram	30141	Paulding County	Paulding County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 445-9007	591	43	13.7	50.6%	278 (47.0%)	187 (31.6%)	86 (14.6%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (5.9%)	42.3	660^th of 1248 public elementary schools	47.1%		48	575^th of 1242 public elementary schools	53.7%	85	41.1	35.0	36.4	55.8	35.9	23.2	25.5	$10,557	$1,035	$9,522
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	1,048	77	13.6	34.1%	420 (40.1%)	258 (24.6%)	277 (26.4%)	31 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (5.9%)	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

Varner Elementary School

Cobb County:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Varner Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Varner Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Varner Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Varner Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Varner Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Varner Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Varner Elementary School