Murphey Candler Elementary School

Summary:

Murphey Candler Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Lithonia, Georgia, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 528. The school is part of the DeKalb County School District, which is ranked 138 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Murphey Candler Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Georgia elementary schools, with a ranking between 1017 and 1154 out of around 1200-1250 schools over the past 10 years, and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Murphey Candler Elementary School consistently underperforms compared to the DeKalb County and Georgia state averages on the Milestones Assessments in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 18.1% of 3rd graders, 22% of 4th graders, and 29.1% of 5th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 31.6%, 30.5%, and 40.8% for DeKalb County, respectively. The school's math proficiency rates are also significantly lower than the county and state, ranging from 11.1% to 21.7% across the grade levels, compared to 32.1% to 34.3% for DeKalb County. Murphey Candler Elementary has extremely high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, with 100% of students qualifying in the 2022-2023 and 2020-2021 school years, indicating a high-poverty student population.

When comparing Murphey Candler Elementary to the other nearby schools in the DeKalb County district, as well as schools in the Rockdale County and Henry County districts, it consistently underperforms on test scores. For instance, in 2023-2024, Murphey Candler's 3rd grade ELA proficiency rate of 18.1% is significantly lower than the 20.8% at Fairington Elementary, 16.9% at Stoneview Elementary, and 22.2% at Browns Mill Elementary. Murphey Candler's performance is also much lower than the 19% at Sims Elementary (Rockdale County), 26.2% at Shoal Creek Elementary (Rockdale County), and 23.1% at Austin Road Elementary (Henry County). This persistent low performance suggests a need for significant interventions and support to improve student achievement at Murphey Candler Elementary School.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 6775 S Goddard Rd
       Lithonia, GA  30038


(678) 676-9102

District: DeKalb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1038th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  15.4 Help
Number of students:  528

Racial breakdown:

African American:
90.7%
Hispanic:
4.2%
Two or more races:
3.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Murphey Candler Elementary School ranks worse than 83.2% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.04. (See more...)
Finance
Schooldigger Rankings:

Murphey Candler Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

DeKalb County:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb County 138th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Murphey Candler Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools GA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 33.21 821st 1101 25.4%
2007 35.34 837th 1125 25.6%
2008 24.47 957th 1134 15.6%
2009 20.59 986th 1133 13.0%
2010 15.48 1067th 1183 9.8%
2011 9.87 1133rd 1212 6.5%
2012 10.52 1111th 1201 7.5%
2013 10.16 1123rd 1225 8.3%
2014 9.55 1139th 1231 7.5%
2015 19.55 1017th 1240 18.0%
2016 11.03 1149th 1233 6.8%
2017 8.43 1153rd 1205 4.3%
2018 8.83 1154th 1209 4.5%
2019 10.46 1134th 1234 8.1%
2021 15.11 1046th 1214 13.8%
2022 16.20 1050th 1244 15.6%
2023 16.54 1074th 1242 13.5%
2024 18.04 1038th 1248 16.8%
See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

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

Murphey Candler Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Georgia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Murphey Candler Elementary School

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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 640 640
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 667 667
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 480 480
1993 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 439 439
1994 104 299 5 0 1 n/a n/a 0 409
1995 48 500 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 553
1996 48 500 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 553
1997 52 546 1 6 0 n/a n/a 0 605
1998 43 550 3 3 0 n/a n/a 0 599
1999 30 637 1 8 0 n/a n/a 0 676
2000 15 703 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 721
2001 12 789 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 806
2002 14 934 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 953
2003 14 934 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 953
2004 10 894 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 909
2005 6 911 3 10 0 n/a n/a 22 952
2006 4 847 1 11 2 n/a n/a 13 878
2007 5 847 3 7 0 n/a n/a 17 879
2008 1 553 1 7 2 n/a n/a 15 579
2009 2 539 1 12 1 n/a n/a 15 570
2010 2 496 2 15 2 0 4 0 521
2011 3 499 1 16 1 0 6 0 526
2012 1 494 1 14 1 5 3 0 519
2013 2 459 0 17 1 3 2 0 484
2014 3 517 0 10 1 3 1 0 535
2015 6 503 0 12 1 1 3 0 526
2016 5 514 0 14 1 4 2 0 540
2017 5 532 0 17 1 0 3 0 558
2018 3 539 1 21 1 0 8 0 573
2019 1 499 1 21 0 0 11 0 533
2020 3 498 1 21 2 1 9 0 535
2021 5 471 0 18 2 1 8 0 505
2022 2 542 0 23 3 1 13 0 584
2023 3 479 0 22 6 1 17 0 528

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 Murphey Candler Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 640 35.0 18.2 4.8
1991 667 35.0 19.0 11.7
1992 480 34.0 14.1 14
1993 439 24.0 18.3 13.9
1994 409 31.0 13.2 20.5
1995 553 30.0 18.4 33.5
1996 553 30.0 18.4 33.5
1997 605 30.0 20.2 48.8
1998 599 35.2 17.0 39.7
1999 676 37.4 18.1 53.6
2000 721 40.3 17.9 45.2
2001 806 40.3 20.0 49.6
2002 953 56.8 16.8 62.6
2003 953 56.8 16.8 62.6
2004 909 48.8 18.6 64
2005 952 58.1 16.4 69
2006 878 59.8 14.7 69.7
2007 879 55.8 15.8 76.6
2008 579 39.1 14.8 83.9
2009 570 37.1 15.4 81.4
2010 521 34.5 15.1 82
2011 526 33.1 15.8 84
2012 519 35.1 14.7 82.3
2013 484 32.0 15.1 87
2014 535 32.1 16.6 90.3
2015 526 35.0 15.0 88.6
2016 540 35.0 15.4 84.1
2017 558 35.0 15.9 82.3
2018 573 38.0 15.0 88.5
2019 533 39.0 13.6 84.2
2020 535 40.0 13.3 99.1
2021 505 41.5 12.1 99
2022 584 37.5 15.5 n/a
2023 528 34.1 15.4 100

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 Murphey Candler Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 640 35.0 18.2 4.8
1991 667 35.0 19.0 11.7
1992 480 34.0 14.1 14
1993 439 24.0 18.3 13.9
1994 409 31.0 13.2 20.5
1995 553 30.0 18.4 33.5
1996 553 30.0 18.4 33.5
1997 605 30.0 20.2 48.8
1998 599 35.2 17.0 39.7
1999 676 37.4 18.1 53.6
2000 721 40.3 17.9 45.2
2001 806 40.3 20.0 49.6
2002 953 56.8 16.8 62.6
2003 953 56.8 16.8 62.6
2004 909 48.8 18.6 64
2005 952 58.1 16.4 69
2006 878 59.8 14.7 69.7
2007 879 55.8 15.8 76.6
2008 579 39.1 14.8 83.9
2009 570 37.1 15.4 81.4
2010 521 34.5 15.1 82
2011 526 33.1 15.8 84
2012 519 35.1 14.7 82.3
2013 484 32.0 15.1 87
2014 535 32.1 16.6 90.3
2015 526 35.0 15.0 88.6
2016 540 35.0 15.4 84.1
2017 558 35.0 15.9 82.3
2018 573 38.0 15.0 88.5
2019 533 39.0 13.6 84.2
2020 535 40.0 13.3 99.1
2021 505 41.5 12.1 99
2022 584 37.5 15.5 n/a
2023 528 34.1 15.4 100

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 Murphey Candler Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017 $643 (6.2%) $9,671 (93.8%) $10,314
2018 $590 (5.6%) $9,938 (94.4%) $10,527
2019 $767 (6.1%) $11,844 (93.9%) $12,611

Data source: Georgia Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Murphey Candler 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 1134th of 1234 Elementary schoolsRanks 1074th of 1242 Elementary schools
 5.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Murphey Candler Elementary School)18.413.6
 4.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)33.531.7
 1.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4238.6
 3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Murphey Candler Elementary School)16.518.5
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)40.133.8
 6.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)5245.6
 6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Murphey Candler Elementary School)2218.2
 3.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)34.430.2
 4.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4236.1
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Murphey Candler Elementary School)2214
 8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)35.533.9
 1.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4945.7
 3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Murphey Candler Elementary School)17.621.3
 3.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)37.433.9
 3.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4541.6
 3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Murphey Candler Elementary School)416.9
 12.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)30.525.3
 5.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4137.4
 3.6%
5th Grade Science (Murphey Candler Elementary School)17.823.6
 5.8%
   5th Grade Science (DeKalb County)33.927.9
 6%
   5th Grade Science (Georgia)4340
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students533528
 0.9%
African American499479
 4%
American Indian06
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic2122
 4.8%
Pacific Islander01
White13
 200%
Two or More Races1117
 54.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients84.2%100%
 15.8%


Schools Near Murphey Candler Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Murphey Candler Elementary School

Murphey Candler Elementary School ranks in the bottom 16.8% of Georgia elementary schools.

Students at Murphey Candler Elementary School are 91% African American, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 528 students attended Murphey Candler Elementary 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.





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