Brighten Academy

Summary:

Brighten Academy is a public charter elementary and middle school located in Douglasville, Georgia, serving grades K-8 with a total enrollment of 800 students. The school is part of the Douglas County School District, which is ranked 116 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Brighten Academy consistently outperforms the Douglas County and Georgia state averages in the Milestones Assessment for English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Brighten Academy's 6th-grade ELA proficiency rate was 52.2%, compared to 38.2% for Douglas County and 41.6% for Georgia. The school has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade, with a high ranking of 287 out of 1,209 Georgia elementary schools in the 2017-2018 school year, placing it in the top quarter of elementary schools in the state. However, its statewide ranking has declined to 535 in the 2023-2024 school year, indicating that the school may not be keeping pace with improvements in other Georgia elementary schools.

Brighten Academy has seen a significant increase in its free and reduced lunch rate, from 31.37% in 2020-2021 to 54.75% in 2022-2023, suggesting the school is serving a growing population of economically disadvantaged students. When compared to the nearby schools in the Douglas County district, Brighten Academy generally outperforms them in academic metrics, such as Milestones Assessment proficiency rates, making it a more desirable option for families in the area. However, the school's higher student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools may be an area of concern for some parents.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 5897 Prestley Mill Rd
       Douglasville, GA  30135


(770) 615-3680

District: Douglas County

SchoolDigger Rank:
535th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  17.2 Help
Number of students:  800

Racial breakdown:

African American:
67.4%
White:
15.1%
Hispanic:
9.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  54.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Brighten Academy ranks better than 57.1% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.53. (See more...)
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Compare Details Brighten Academy ranks better than 66.5% of middle schools in Georgia. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.21. (See more...)
Finance
Schooldigger Rankings:

Brighten Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Brighten Academy 197th of 588 Georgia public middle schools. (See Brighten Academy in the ranking list.)

Douglas County:

SchoolDigger ranks Douglas County 116th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Brighten Academy.

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Rank History for Brighten Academy

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools GA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 85.06 105th 1134 90.7%
2009 75.86 227th 1133 80.0%
2010 77.29 241st 1183 79.6%
2011 69.49 406th 1212 66.5%
2012 81.35 166th 1201 86.2%
2013 82.19 141st 1225 88.5%
2014 68.98 418th 1231 66.0%
2015 71.56 298th 1240 76.0%
2016 73.54 285th 1233 76.9%
2017 67.99 337th 1205 72.0%
2018 73.89 287th 1209 76.3%
2019 59.58 461st 1234 62.6%
2021 42.69 647th 1214 46.7%
2022 58.61 468th 1244 62.4%
2023 48.75 564th 1242 54.6%
2024 52.53 535th 1248 57.1%
See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Brighten Academy

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools GA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 79.50 69th 462 85.1%
2009 75.21 88th 466 81.1%
2010 77.23 80th 494 83.8%
2011 74.19 110th 504 78.2%
2012 78.46 73rd 508 85.6%
2013 70.96 140th 527 73.4%
2014 77.86 72nd 521 86.2%
2015 81.51 87th 537 83.8%
2016 77.67 99th 545 81.8%
2017 84.23 69th 539 87.2%
2018 84.98 67th 543 87.7%
2019 76.72 113th 559 79.8%
2021 67.56 159th 542 70.7%
2022 73.75 130th 567 77.1%
2023 66.32 162nd 577 71.9%
2024 61.21 197th 588 66.5%
See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

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

Brighten Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    








Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.8)
25%

25%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Open Quote Good just get rid of the politics and favoritism give all kids a fair change Close Quote


Facebook Profile Picture by a parent on FaceBook
Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Open Quote Brighten Academy has gone downhill since the expansion and move to the new building. This past year, top administrators called the school a "business". Those words had never been used before to describe the mission of the school. After the second death threat in my daughters 4th and 5th grades, respectively, we removed her and our younger son to the school we are districted for. After 5 years at the school we had had enough. Test scores are down. Violence is way up. Class sizes are NOT as stated on here, but more along the lines of 24-30 per class and they still keep adding new students every month. It's so sad to see how far this once good school has fallen. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Brighten Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2007 187 66 3 3 0 n/a n/a 6 265
2008 222 93 6 9 0 n/a n/a 11 341
2009 257 95 5 9 0 n/a n/a 14 380
2010 250 84 9 26 0 0 18 0 387
2011 251 115 13 23 0 0 22 0 424
2012 225 131 14 24 0 0 23 0 417
2013 238 170 9 29 0 0 19 0 465
2014 256 195 7 27 1 0 19 0 505
2015 276 283 7 34 1 0 19 0 620
2016 276 349 10 39 0 0 19 0 693
2017 249 411 11 46 0 0 20 0 737
2018 232 451 8 64 0 0 24 0 779
2019 206 488 9 74 0 0 25 0 802
2020 180 509 7 85 2 0 41 0 824
2021 165 525 9 83 2 0 48 0 832
2022 143 531 17 70 2 2 50 0 815
2023 121 539 15 74 2 1 48 0 800

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 Brighten Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 265 15.2 17.4 1.2
2008 341 18.5 18.4 4.2
2009 380 22.2 17.1 9.3
2010 387 21.6 17.9 12.7
2011 424 22.2 19.0 21.9
2012 417 22.8 18.2 27.1
2013 465 25.6 18.1 26.7
2014 505 25.5 19.8 29.3
2015 620 34.0 18.2 26.1
2016 693 36.0 19.2 32.6
2017 737 37.1 19.8 34.9
2018 779 40.1 19.4 36.5
2019 802 41.9 19.1 37
2020 824 44.2 18.6 40
2021 832 44.4 18.7 31.4
2022 815 45.2 18.0 n/a
2023 800 46.3 17.2 54.8

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 Brighten Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 265 15.2 17.4 1.2
2008 341 18.5 18.4 4.2
2009 380 22.2 17.1 9.3
2010 387 21.6 17.9 12.7
2011 424 22.2 19.0 21.9
2012 417 22.8 18.2 27.1
2013 465 25.6 18.1 26.7
2014 505 25.5 19.8 29.3
2015 620 34.0 18.2 26.1
2016 693 36.0 19.2 32.6
2017 737 37.1 19.8 34.9
2018 779 40.1 19.4 36.5
2019 802 41.9 19.1 37
2020 824 44.2 18.6 40
2021 832 44.4 18.7 31.4
2022 815 45.2 18.0 n/a
2023 800 46.3 17.2 54.8

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 Brighten Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017 $273 (4.4%) $6,240 (100.0%) $6,240
2018 $258 (4.0%) $6,394 (100.0%) $6,394
2019 $284 (4.1%) $6,934 (100.0%) $6,934

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Brighten Academy

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 461st of 1234 Elementary schoolsRanks 564th of 1242 Elementary schools
 8.1%
Ranks 113th of 559 Middle schoolsRanks 162nd of 577 Middle schools
 7.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Brighten Academy)38.529.8
 8.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County)40.734.4
 6.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4238.6
 3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Brighten Academy)40.635.1
 5.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Douglas County)48.637.7
 10.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)5245.6
 6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Brighten Academy)5237.4
 14.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County)44.132.5
 11.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4236.1
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Brighten Academy)56.650.5
 6.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Douglas County)42.233.5
 8.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4945.7
 3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Brighten Academy)4948.1
 0.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County)46.636.8
 9.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4541.6
 3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Brighten Academy)57.826
 31.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Douglas County)36.826.4
 10.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4137.4
 3.6%
5th Grade Science (Brighten Academy)41.231.7
 9.5%
   5th Grade Science (Douglas County)39.633.2
 6.4%
   5th Grade Science (Georgia)4340
 3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Brighten Academy)54.442.2
 12.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County)50.537.7
 12.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4639.2
 6.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Brighten Academy)35.623.3
 12.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Douglas County)38.522.2
 16.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4032.9
 7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Brighten Academy)48.346.7
 1.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County)38.837.6
 1.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)3939.1
 0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Brighten Academy)52.940
 12.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Douglas County)40.525.2
 15.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4334.9
 8.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Brighten Academy)72.765.9
 6.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Douglas County)49.344.3
 5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4742.1
 4.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Brighten Academy)67.441.5
 25.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Douglas County)30.627
 3.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)3536.2
 1.2%
8th Grade Science (Brighten Academy)54.536.6
 17.9%
   8th Grade Science (Douglas County)36.232.8
 3.4%
   8th Grade Science (Georgia)3226.4
 5.6%
8th Grade Social Studies (Brighten Academy)58.236.6
 21.6%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Douglas County)33.831.9
 1.9%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Georgia)4135.9
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students802800
 0.2%
African American488539
 10.5%
American Indian02
Asian915
 66.7%
Hispanic7474
Pacific Islander01
White206121
 41.3%
Two or More Races2548
 92%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients37%54.8%
 17.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Brighten Academy

Students at Brighten Academy are 67% African American, 15% White, 9% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Brighten Academy ranks 535th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 800 students attended Brighten Academy.


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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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