Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

Summary:

Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers is a public middle school in Decatur, Georgia, serving grades 4-8 with just 196 students. Despite being a relatively small school within the DeKalb County school district, which is ranked 138 out of 203 districts in the state, Wadsworth Magnet School is a standout performer, ranking 1st out of 588 middle schools in Georgia and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the 2023-2024 school year.

Wadsworth Magnet School's students demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, with 100% proficiency rates in Algebra I, English Language Arts (ELA) for grades 4-8, and Science for 5th grade in the 2023-2024 school year. These results far surpass the performance of the overall DeKalb County district and the state of Georgia. Additionally, the school serves a diverse student population, with over 50% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, yet it maintains a relatively high per-student spending ranging from $14,312 to $24,223 and a low student-teacher ratio of 10.7 to 17.1 over the past three school years.

When comparing Wadsworth Magnet School to nearby middle schools in the DeKalb County district, the performance gap is significant. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Wadsworth Magnet School had 100% proficiency in Algebra I, while the closest nearby school, Freedom Middle School, had only 81.3% proficiency. Wadsworth Magnet School has also maintained its exceptional academic performance over time, with consistently high proficiency rates in ELA, Mathematics, and Science across multiple school years, demonstrating its ability to provide a high-quality education to students from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 4-8

3039 Santa Monica Dr
Decatur, GA 30032

(678) 874-2402

District: DeKalb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1^st of 588 Georgia Middle Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 16.7

Number of students: 196

Racial breakdown:

African American:

84.2%

White:

4.1%

Asian:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers ranks better than 99.8% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 99.58. (See more...)

Compare Details Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers ranks better than 99.8% of middle schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 99.91. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers 1^st of 588 Georgia public middle schools. (See Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers in the ranking list.)

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 Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers.

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Rank History for Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2010	93.19	2^nd	1183	99.8%
2011	91.68	2^nd	1212	99.8%
2012	90.78	1^st	1201	99.9%
2013	89.80	2^nd	1225	99.8%
2014	89.35	1^st	1231	99.9%
2015	99.73	3^rd	1240	99.8%
2016	99.42	7^th	1233	99.4%
2017	99.82	3^rd	1205	99.8%
2018	99.57	4^th	1209	99.7%
2019	99.63	3^rd	1234	99.8%
2021	98.39	15^th	1214	98.8%
2022	99.76	2^nd	1244	99.8%
2023	99.51	4^th	1242	99.7%
2024	99.58	3^rd	1248	99.8%

See the entire list of Georgia Middle School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	GA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.91	1^st	588	99.8%

See the entire list of Georgia Middle 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: 4.3)

83%

17%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, August 23, 2019

Wadsworth is a terrible school! My son appeared with multiple scar marks, one directly visible to his jaw to his chin. No one was contacted, no one was called, no one was notified. This shows you what kind of school Wadsworth is. It's a school built for test scores, not for human life. Concerned parents, please do not send your gifted and talented sons and daughters to this school. I promise you they will be injured Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Absolutely amazing! Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, August 20, 2017

School is tuff and extremely challenging, but amazing. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Wadsworth Magnet School is an excellent school. The staff really cares about the students. They really push the students to the limit and require them work hard. My daughter has been in private, Christian schools from kindergarden to the 5th grade. This is her first year at a public school. It is a big adjustment for her but she is adjusting well with the help of the great staff at Wadsworth. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, June 10, 2013

Wadsworth is by far dekalbs best kept secret. If I had my way they would have let it go to 8th grade and my daughter would still be there. The learning enviroment is truly awesome and we truly miss our daughter being there and she misses it to. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, September 7, 2012

Wadsworth is an excellent school! My son transferred there from a private school, and I could not have asked for a better transition. The administration has high standards for the students both academically and behaviorally, and the students are eager to rise to the expected levels of performance. The work is challenging, which is to be expected from a magnet program, and the teachers are always happy to assist the students as needed. The students are friendly, and are always helpful to each other when needed. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	3	179	2	2	n/a	n/a	186
2010	1	149	7	5	0	3	165
2011	0	148	2	2	0	1	153
2012	1	202	2	5	1	4	215
2013	3	217	3	2	2	10	237
2014	5	176	2	1	2	1	187
2015	3	228	6	6	1	0	244
2016	6	209	10	6	1	3	235
2017	3	172	8	5	1	2	191
2018	1	136	6	2	1	1	147
2019	4	101	3	2	1	2	113
2020	7	123	4	7	2	3	146
2021	9	188	9	8	4	5	223
2022	3	112	5	4	3	2	129
2023	8	165	8	7	4	4	196

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 Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	186	17.5	10.6	34.4
2010	165	15.5	10.6	35.2
2011	153	14.0	10.9	36.6
2012	215	16.2	13.2	38.6
2013	237	15.0	15.8	40.9
2014	187	13.5	13.8	45.5
2015	244	19.0	12.8	51.2
2016	235	20.0	11.7	53.2
2017	191	17.5	10.9	49.7
2018	147	14.5	10.1	57.8
2019	113	12.5	9.0	49.6
2020	146	12.5	11.6	53.4
2021	223	13.0	17.1	59.2
2022	129	12.0	10.7	n/a
2023	196	11.7	16.7	51.5

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 Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	186	17.5	10.6	34.4
2010	165	15.5	10.6	35.2
2011	153	14.0	10.9	36.6
2012	215	16.2	13.2	38.6
2013	237	15.0	15.8	40.9
2014	187	13.5	13.8	45.5
2015	244	19.0	12.8	51.2
2016	235	20.0	11.7	53.2
2017	191	17.5	10.9	49.7
2018	147	14.5	10.1	57.8
2019	113	12.5	9.0	49.6
2020	146	12.5	11.6	53.4
2021	223	13.0	17.1	59.2
2022	129	12.0	10.7	n/a
2023	196	11.7	16.7	51.5

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 Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$512 (3.6%)	$13,800 (96.4%)	$14,312
2018	$462 (2.9%)	$15,672 (97.1%)	$16,134
2019	$803 (3.3%)	$23,419 (96.7%)	$24,223

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

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 3^rd of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 4^th of 1242 Elementary schools	0.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers)	96.6	78	18.6%
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 (Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers)	100	92.5	7.5%
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 (Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers)	100	81.8	18.2%
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 (Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers)	100	93.8	6.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)	30.5	25.3	5.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers)	100	84.8	15.2%
5th Grade Science (DeKalb County)	33.9	27.9	6%
5th Grade Science (Georgia)	43	40	3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers)	98.2	91.4	6.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)	34.3	31.1	3.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	46	39.2	6.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers)	98.2	95.7	2.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)	25.4	19.7	5.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	40	32.9	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	113	196	73.5%
African American	101	165	63.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	8	166.7%
Hispanic	2	7	250%
Pacific Islander	1	4	300%
White	4	8	100%
Two or More Races	2	4	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	49.6%	51.5%	2%

Schools Near Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

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 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 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
Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers	Public, Magnet	4-8	3039 Santa Monica Dr	Decatur	30032	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(678) 874-2402	196	12	16.7	51.5%	8 (4.1%)	165 (84.2%)	7 (3.6%)	8 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.0%)	4 (2.0%)	99.9	1^st of 588 public middle schools	99.8%					(n/a)	100.0	92.2	98.1	94.2	98.3	100.0	96.1	84.6	94.2	96.7	100.0	100.0	84.4	93.3	$24,223	$803	$23,419
McNair Middle School	Public	6-8	2190 Wallingford Dr	Decatur	30032	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-5102	857	44	19.4	100.0%	9 (1.1%)	780 (91.0%)	47 (5.5%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	15 (1.8%)	21.1	469^th of 588 public middle schools	20.2%		12.9	534^th of 577 public middle schools	7.5%	65	95.8			25.2	18.7	29.4			8.6	9.0	31.1		14.2	18.0	$12,255	$766	$11,489
Beacon Hill Middle School	Public	6-8	220 W College Ave	Decatur	30030	DeKalb County	City Schools of Decatur	No	No	No	No	(404) 370-4440	1,323	97	13.5	12.8%	840 (63.5%)	253 (19.1%)	64 (4.8%)	63 (4.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	102 (7.7%)	97.1	18^th of 588 public middle schools	96.9%		95.4	31^st of 577 public middle schools	94.6%	13	94.2			74.1	74.9	75.9			69.4	77.2	75.7		57.0	66.4	$10,121	$169	$9,952
Columbia Middle School	Public	6-8	3001 Columbia Dr	Decatur	30034	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 875-0502	604	48	12.5	100.0%	4 (0.7%)	557 (92.2%)	26 (4.3%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.2%)	11.8	547^th of 588 public middle schools	7.0%		17	490^th of 577 public middle schools	15.1%	57				23.7	12.9	22.5			4.8	7.3	10.9		6.9	7.0	$11,436	$832	$10,603
Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School	Public	6-8	5200 Covington Hwy	Decatur	30035	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 875-0302	718	45	15.9	100.0%	13 (1.8%)	578 (80.5%)	69 (9.6%)	33 (4.6%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	16 (2.2%)	17.3	498^th of 588 public middle schools	15.3%		16.3	497^th of 577 public middle schools	13.9%	1				19.0	23.9	22.3			6.3	13.4	19.0		16.2	11.5	$12,006	$984	$11,021
Cedar Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	2300 Wildcat Rd	Decatur	30034	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-4202	777	48	16.3	100.0%	2 (0.3%)	716 (92.1%)	40 (5.1%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (1.8%)	13.9	521^st of 588 public middle schools	11.4%		14.2	519^th of 577 public middle schools	10.1%	2				13.5	17.3	22.4			4.4	9.8	18.8		11.3	15.2	$12,879	$722	$12,157
Freedom Middle School	Public	6-8	505 S Hairston Rd	Stone Mountain	30088	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-8702	1,131	74	15.2	100.0%	78 (6.9%)	596 (52.7%)	84 (7.4%)	349 (30.9%)	4 (0.4%)	5 (0.4%)	15 (1.3%)	20.3	475^th of 588 public middle schools	19.2%		20.2	465^th of 577 public middle schools	19.4%	10	81.3			23.1	22.2	29.1			12.4	11.5	18.7		16.0	18.5	$12,398	$817	$11,581
Miller Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	2215 Miller Rd	Decatur	30035	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 676-8902	722	48	15.2	100.0%	3 (0.4%)	644 (89.2%)	46 (6.4%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	20 (2.8%)	13.5	527^th of 588 public middle schools	10.4%		15.5	504^th of 577 public middle schools	12.7%	23				22.9	15.9	29.2			2.6	4.9	7.8		7.0	15.0	$12,183	$806	$11,378
Atlanta Neighborhood Charter - Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	820 Essie Ave SE	Atlanta	30316	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	No	(678) 904-0051	231	20	11.7	7.4%	152 (65.8%)	47 (20.3%)	12 (5.2%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.4%)	82.2	92^nd of 588 public middle schools	84.4%		82	90^th of 577 public middle schools	84.4%	2	89.7			59.7	67.1	68.9			33.8	68.5	51.4		43.8	45.2	$19,788	$403	$19,788
Druid Hills Middle School	Public	6-8	3100 Mount Olive Dr	Decatur	30033	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-7602	956	72	13.2	46.4%	248 (25.9%)	413 (43.2%)	149 (15.6%)	89 (9.3%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	51 (5.3%)	58.4	220^th of 588 public middle schools	62.6%		63.2	186^th of 577 public middle schools	67.8%	34	61.9			41.9	38.2	51.9			27.8	29.2	49.3		35.5	39.3	$12,361	$595	$11,766

Frequently Asked Questions about Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers

What is the racial makeup of Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers?

Students at Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers are 84% African American, 4% White, 4% Asian, 4% Hispanic, 2% Pacific Islander, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers?

In the 2022-23 school year, 196 students attended Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers.

What district is Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers in?

DeKalb County

Is Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers a good school?

Yes! Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 1^st of 588 Georgia middle schools.

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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.