Briarlake Elementary School

Q: Is Briarlake Elementary School a good school?

Briarlake Elementary School ranks 239 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Briarlake Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Decatur, Georgia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 378 students. 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.

Briarlake Elementary consistently ranks among the top 20% of Georgia elementary schools, with a statewide ranking between 199 and 350 over the past 10 years. The school's performance on the Milestones Assessment is significantly higher than the DeKalb County and Georgia averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, Briarlake's 3rd-grade English Language Arts proficiency rate was 64.2%, compared to 31.6% for DeKalb County and 38.4% for Georgia. Briarlake also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.8 to 10.9 over the past three school years, compared to the district average of around 11-12 students per teacher. Additionally, Briarlake Elementary spends significantly more per student ($15,288 in 2018-2019) compared to the district average, which is likely a contributing factor to the school's strong academic performance.

While Briarlake Elementary outperforms many of the nearby schools in the DeKalb County district, including Laurel Ridge Elementary, Sagamore Hills Elementary, and Midvale Elementary, on key academic metrics, the close proximity of Oak Grove Elementary, which also consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Georgia, suggests that families in the area have access to multiple excellent educational options.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3590 Lavista Rd
Decatur, GA 30033

(678) 874-2502

District: DeKalb County

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

Students who attend Briarlake Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Henderson Middle School
High:	Lakeside High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.9

Number of students: 378

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.2%

African American:

21.4%

Hispanic:

18.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.9%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Briarlake Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Briarlake Elementary School ranks better than 80.8% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 79.56. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

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

DeKalb County:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Briarlake Elementary School.

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Rank History for Briarlake Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	71.40	329^th	1101	70.1%
2007	67.52	386^th	1125	65.7%
2008	69.17	342^nd	1134	69.8%
2009	69.22	352^nd	1133	68.9%
2010	72.01	327^th	1183	72.4%
2011	75.83	286^th	1212	76.4%
2012	67.00	450^th	1201	62.5%
2013	63.88	505^th	1225	58.8%
2014	62.35	541^st	1231	56.1%
2015	80.96	199^th	1240	84.0%
2016	78.04	232^nd	1233	81.2%
2017	70.83	302^nd	1205	74.9%
2018	81.19	211^th	1209	82.5%
2019	80.77	216^th	1234	82.5%
2021	67.67	350^th	1214	71.2%
2022	79.24	245^th	1244	80.3%
2023	80.12	225^th	1242	81.9%
2024	79.56	239^th	1248	80.8%

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
Friday, August 23, 2019

caring teachers, diverse student body, parents involved and welcomed Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, July 30, 2018

Best well kept secret! I love this school! Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, June 10, 2018

Briarlake is a great school for our two kids and a wonderful part of the community. My daughter has enjoyed being part of Signing Club, and they both enjoy the various events throughout the year. Parents and teachers seem very much engaged. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, October 30, 2015

Briarlake Elementary is an amazing school, with wonderful teachers, staff and dedicated parent volunteers & PTA. The Briarlake community is so supportive and my daughters love their school, and so do I! Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Great school! The teachers really care and there is awesome parent involvement. Briarlake is always striving to increase student achievement. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, October 27, 2015

My fourth child is in 1st grade at Briarlake and we've had a great experience. The school is diverse and is a hearing impaired school. The community is wonderful and very involved. Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Briarlake Elementary is located in one of the most stable desirable area's of Atlanta. The children of the school are products of this great area. The teachers, parents and administration all work very hard to make the students school experience great. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, August 30, 2012

Wonderful community school with excellent teachers, beautiful outdoor classroom and gardens, and technology in all of the classrooms. It houses a strong program for the hearing impaired, and I love that my children learn sign langauge as part of the program. A gem amidst a school system that is struggling. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Briarlake Elementary School

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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	408	408
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	393	393
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	396	396
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	421	421
1994	270	122	25	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	423
1995	240	93	42	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	380
1996	240	93	42	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	380
1997	209	114	38	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	366
1998	231	161	33	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	436
1999	231	145	23	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	413
2000	232	119	26	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	391
2001	216	87	19	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	340
2002	217	74	34	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	349
2003	217	74	34	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	349
2004	218	70	37	22	1	n/a	n/a	0	348
2005	213	97	32	24	0	n/a	n/a	15	381
2006	222	92	36	29	0	n/a	n/a	20	399
2007	216	79	35	36	0	n/a	n/a	19	385
2008	245	74	25	35	0	n/a	n/a	21	400
2009	250	75	30	39	0	n/a	n/a	27	421
2010	257	73	36	53	1	0	14	0	434
2011	266	72	37	45	1	0	15	0	436
2012	256	92	38	42	3	0	18	0	449
2013	251	88	45	39	3	0	23	0	449
2014	212	91	39	33	1	0	29	0	405
2015	202	100	37	31	2	0	29	0	401
2016	210	95	32	36	1	0	28	0	402
2017	191	102	26	44	1	0	33	0	397
2018	190	123	25	58	1	0	32	0	429
2019	173	135	27	60	1	2	24	0	422
2020	174	121	27	73	1	2	29	0	427
2021	160	113	27	76	0	0	30	0	406
2022	174	97	24	66	2	3	27	0	393
2023	171	81	28	69	1	1	27	0	378

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 Briarlake Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	408	29.0	14.0	3.2
1991	393	29.0	13.5	7.1
1992	396	30.0	13.2	9.3
1993	421	25.0	16.8	10
1994	423	28.9	14.6	14.4
1995	380	27.0	14.1	14.5
1996	380	27.0	14.1	14.5
1997	366	27.8	13.2	22.1
1998	436	30.4	14.3	17.7
1999	413	30.3	13.6	20.6
2000	391	29.2	13.4	14.8
2001	340	27.0	12.6	16.5
2002	349	29.5	11.8	18.9
2003	349	29.5	11.8	18.9
2004	348	26.8	13.0	19.8
2005	381	28.3	13.5	18.3
2006	399	30.0	13.3	19.5
2007	385	32.0	12.0	24
2008	400	31.4	12.7	21.4
2009	421	30.8	13.7	23.4
2010	434	34.1	12.7	23.7
2011	436	33.3	13.0	20.4
2012	449	33.5	13.4	26.5
2013	449	31.8	14.1	24.7
2014	405	31.9	12.6	27.9
2015	401	32.0	12.5	29.9
2016	402	33.0	12.1	26.1
2017	397	37.5	10.5	28
2018	429	40.5	10.5	28.2
2019	422	39.5	10.6	30.1
2020	427	39.5	10.8	26.7
2021	406	42.2	9.6	25.9
2022	393	44.2	8.8	n/a
2023	378	34.5	10.9	25.9

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 Briarlake Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	408	29.0	14.0	3.2
1991	393	29.0	13.5	7.1
1992	396	30.0	13.2	9.3
1993	421	25.0	16.8	10
1994	423	28.9	14.6	14.4
1995	380	27.0	14.1	14.5
1996	380	27.0	14.1	14.5
1997	366	27.8	13.2	22.1
1998	436	30.4	14.3	17.7
1999	413	30.3	13.6	20.6
2000	391	29.2	13.4	14.8
2001	340	27.0	12.6	16.5
2002	349	29.5	11.8	18.9
2003	349	29.5	11.8	18.9
2004	348	26.8	13.0	19.8
2005	381	28.3	13.5	18.3
2006	399	30.0	13.3	19.5
2007	385	32.0	12.0	24
2008	400	31.4	12.7	21.4
2009	421	30.8	13.7	23.4
2010	434	34.1	12.7	23.7
2011	436	33.3	13.0	20.4
2012	449	33.5	13.4	26.5
2013	449	31.8	14.1	24.7
2014	405	31.9	12.6	27.9
2015	401	32.0	12.5	29.9
2016	402	33.0	12.1	26.1
2017	397	37.5	10.5	28
2018	429	40.5	10.5	28.2
2019	422	39.5	10.6	30.1
2020	427	39.5	10.8	26.7
2021	406	42.2	9.6	25.9
2022	393	44.2	8.8	n/a
2023	378	34.5	10.9	25.9

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 Briarlake Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$1,857 (13.5%)	$11,945 (86.5%)	$13,802
2018	$1,830 (13.2%)	$11,984 (86.8%)	$13,813
2019	$1,886 (12.3%)	$13,401 (87.7%)	$15,288

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Briarlake 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 216^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 225^th of 1242 Elementary schools	0.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Briarlake Elementary School)	61.3	50.6	10.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)	33.5	31.7	1.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Briarlake Elementary School)	64.5	60.5	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)	40.1	33.8	6.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Briarlake Elementary School)	63.1	47.2	15.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)	34.4	30.2	4.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Briarlake Elementary School)	69.2	52.8	16.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)	35.5	33.9	1.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Briarlake Elementary School)	63.6	56.9	6.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)	37.4	33.9	3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Briarlake Elementary School)	50	55.2	5.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)	30.5	25.3	5.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Briarlake Elementary School)	65.2	62.1	3.1%
5th Grade Science (DeKalb County)	33.9	27.9	6%
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	422	378	10.4%
African American	135	81	40%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	27	28	3.7%
Hispanic	60	69	15%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	173	171	1.2%
Two or More Races	24	27	12.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	30.1%	25.9%	4.2%

Schools Near Briarlake Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2024)	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)						Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)						Milestones Assessment Science (2024)		Milestones Assessment Social Studies (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 Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Briarlake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3590 Lavista Rd	Decatur	30033	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 874-2502	378	35	10.9	25.9%	171 (45.2%)	81 (21.4%)	69 (18.3%)	28 (7.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	27 (7.1%)	79.6	239^th of 1248 public elementary schools	80.8%		80.1	225^th of 1242 public elementary schools	81.9%	14		64.2	44.8	73.6				58.5	49.3	58.5				63.5			$15,288	$1,886	$13,401
Oak Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1857 Oak Grove Rd NE	Atlanta	30345	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 874-7402	365	31	11.8	5.2%	221 (60.5%)	41 (11.2%)	30 (8.2%)	48 (13.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.8%)	92.5	103^rd of 1248 public elementary schools	91.7%		94.4	79^th of 1242 public elementary schools	93.6%	24		76.9	63.2	87.5				82.7	57.9	81.3				75.0			$14,001	$1,600	$12,400
Coralwood Education Center	Public	PK-K	2477 Coralwood Dr	Decatur	30033	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 874-6002	209	27	7.6	25.8%	87 (41.6%)	48 (23.0%)	33 (15.8%)	18 (8.6%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (10.0%)								(n/a)																	$36,316	$5,842	$30,474
Henderson Mill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2408 Henderson Mill Rd NE	Atlanta	30345	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-3102	506	37	13.6	66.2%	104 (20.6%)	119 (23.5%)	233 (46.0%)	20 (4.0%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.9%)	31.6	817^th of 1248 public elementary schools	34.5%		39.6	693^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	44.2%	124		33.8	30.9	43.5				34.2	21.0	20.3				24.6			$12,666	$676	$11,990
GLOBE Academy Charter School I	Public, Charter	K-8	2225 Heritage Dr NE	Atlanta	30345	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	Yes	No	No	No	(404) 867-6183	1,051	76	13.8	17.2%	403 (38.3%)	288 (27.4%)	195 (18.6%)	66 (6.3%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (9.0%)	78.8	245^th of 1248 public elementary schools	80.4%		81.8	208^th of 1242 public elementary schools	83.3%	37	60.4	56.8	57.7	64.7	72.0	80.2	85.4	57.6	54.1	55.9	43.0	70.3	69.9	42.2	60.2	70.7	$11,643	$299	$11,643
Hawthorne Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2535 Caladium Dr NE	Atlanta	30345	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-2802	347	34	10.2	59.7%	69 (19.9%)	107 (30.8%)	144 (41.5%)	5 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.1%)	38.5	719^th of 1248 public elementary schools	42.4%		34.2	780^th of 1242 public elementary schools	37.2%	61		38.5	27.7	38.6				45.1	38.3	22.7				25.0			$16,877	$741	$16,136
Laurel Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1215 Balsam Dr	Decatur	30033	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 874-6902	412	36	11.4	33.5%	170 (41.3%)	97 (23.5%)	73 (17.7%)	40 (9.7%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.6%)	73	306^th of 1248 public elementary schools	75.5%		75.4	278^th of 1242 public elementary schools	77.6%	28		62.3	35.3	60.0				57.4	41.2	60.0				64.6			$12,895	$1,125	$11,770
Sagamore Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1865 Alderbrook Rd NE	Atlanta	30345	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 874-7502	429	36	11.8	23.8%	205 (47.8%)	82 (19.1%)	95 (22.1%)	20 (4.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.8%)	81	221^st of 1248 public elementary schools	82.3%		85.2	179^th of 1242 public elementary schools	85.6%	42		57.6	56.5	54.4				51.5	69.1	52.6				68.4			$13,608	$1,441	$12,167
Midvale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3836 Midvale Rd	Tucker	30084	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-3402	437	40	11.0	54.2%	100 (22.9%)	173 (39.6%)	114 (26.1%)	21 (4.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.2%)	45.8	613^th of 1248 public elementary schools	50.9%		46.9	594^th of 1242 public elementary schools	52.2%	19		32.1	33.9	48.1				37.7	33.9	40.7				40.7			$15,812	$675	$15,137
Dresden Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2449 Dresden Dr	Chamblee	30341	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 676-7202	615	43	14.3	100.0%	7 (1.1%)	14 (2.3%)	574 (93.3%)	13 (2.1%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7.6	1227^th of 1248 public elementary schools	1.7%		7	1222^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	1.6%	5		8.4	5.0	20.5				12.6	7.9	11.5				16.7			$11,435	$740	$10,695

Frequently Asked Questions about Briarlake Elementary School

How many students attend Briarlake Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 378 students attended Briarlake Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Briarlake Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Briarlake Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Henderson Middle School
High : Lakeside High School

What district is Briarlake Elementary School in?

DeKalb County

Is Briarlake Elementary School a good school?

Briarlake Elementary School ranks 239^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Briarlake Elementary School?

Students at Briarlake Elementary School are 45% White, 21% African American, 18% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

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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.