Walnut Creek Elementary

Summary:

Walnut Creek Elementary is a public elementary school located in McDonough, Georgia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 716 students. The school is part of the Henry County School District, which is ranked 152 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Walnut Creek Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Georgia elementary schools over the past 10 years, with its statewide ranking ranging from 626 to 1,150 out of around 1,200-1,250 schools. The school has maintained a 1-star or 2-star rating from SchoolDigger during this time period, indicating below-average performance compared to other elementary schools in the state. Walnut Creek Elementary consistently underperforms the Henry County and Georgia state averages on the Milestones Assessments across all grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates significantly lower than the county and state. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 63.18% to 64.94% over the past few years.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Pleasant Grove Elementary, Tussahaw Elementary, and Dutchtown Elementary, generally outperform Walnut Creek Elementary on academic measures, despite being part of the same Henry County School District. This suggests that factors beyond just district-level policies and resources may be contributing to the underperformance of Walnut Creek Elementary, and there may be opportunities for the school to learn from and adopt best practices from its more successful counterparts.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3535 McDonough Pkwy
McDonough, GA 30253

(770) 288-8561

District: Henry County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1076^th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,932

Students who attend Walnut Creek Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	McDonough Middle School
High:	McDonough High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.8

Number of students: 753

Racial breakdown:

African American:

75.6%

Hispanic:

9.8%

Two or more races:

6.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 79.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Walnut Creek Elementary ranks worse than 86.2% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 24^th among 27 ranked elementary schools in the Henry County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.28. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (75.6%), Hispanic (9.8%), two or more races (6.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 79.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Walnut Creek Elementary is 15.8. 19 elementary schools in the Henry County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Walnut Creek Elementary employs 47.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Walnut Creek Elementary is $9,932, which is the 12^th highest among 27 elementary schools in the Henry County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Walnut Creek Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Henry County:

SchoolDigger ranks Henry County 152^nd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Walnut Creek Elementary.

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Rank History for Walnut Creek Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2010	56.20	601^st	1183	49.2%
2011	50.63	704^th	1212	41.9%
2012	74.91	286^th	1201	76.2%
2013	68.11	425^th	1225	65.3%
2014	57.76	626^th	1231	49.1%
2015	39.57	734^th	1240	40.8%
2016	33.35	824^th	1233	33.2%
2017	14.59	1052^nd	1205	12.7%
2018	19.36	989^th	1209	18.2%
2019	29.70	862^nd	1234	30.1%
2021	23.04	908^th	1214	25.2%
2022	23.52	943^rd	1244	24.2%
2023	19.42	1017^th	1242	18.1%
2024	16.28	1076^th	1248	13.8%

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: 2.8)

44%

56%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, September 8, 2023

My daughter has been bullied and physically assaulted by other students in this school. This is her second year in this school, and the second year she is being bullied. The lax response from staff, failure to report most incidents to the administration. "You know boys when they have a crush on you." That doesn't give him the right to kick my daughter. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, July 10, 2014

Walnut Creek Elementary School is a warm and inviting place where everyone is greeted with "It's a Great Day at the Creek how can we help you?" And where it is evident that all decisions are based on what is best for kids. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, May 2, 2013

STAFF AND TEACHERS ARE GREAT. THE PRINCIPALS ARE AWESOME AND THE STAFF IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHILDREN AND SEEM TO REALLY ENJOY AND TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR JOBS AND THE SCHOOL.
THANKS!!
FROM A PARENT Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, March 11, 2012

The teachers are not doing one-on-one with my child that has learning problems. In afterschool, the kids should be doing homework, as directed by the teachers, and not play until they are done. This is not happening. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, March 11, 2012

by a parent
Saturday, March 10, 2012

Enrollment information for Walnut Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	178	214	14	28	1	n/a	n/a	33	468
2009	184	225	12	27	1	n/a	n/a	41	490
2010	167	250	11	31	0	1	34	0	494
2011	158	256	10	34	0	0	36	0	494
2012	137	250	10	24	0	1	35	0	457
2013	125	240	6	36	1	1	27	0	436
2014	125	275	3	39	0	1	34	0	477
2015	122	284	3	29	0	1	31	0	470
2016	133	448	8	72	0	1	44	0	706
2017	127	425	9	74	0	3	50	0	688
2018	90	422	9	83	1	1	48	0	654
2019	79	432	10	87	0	1	45	0	654
2020	72	418	8	83	0	0	32	0	613
2021	55	448	12	66	2	0	39	0	622
2022	52	501	11	81	4	0	40	0	689
2023	48	523	5	90	1	0	49	0	716
2024	48	569	8	74	2	0	52	0	753

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 Walnut Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	468	36.4	12.9	50.6
2009	490	37.5	13.1	53
2010	494	38.2	12.9	56.5
2011	494	41.4	11.9	65.6
2012	457	42.0	10.8	67.6
2013	436	36.5	11.9	68.6
2014	477	40.0	11.9	69.8
2015	470	38.0	12.3	64.7
2016	706	49.0	14.4	67.6
2017	688	48.0	14.3	65.4
2018	654	50.0	13.0	67.1
2019	654	44.0	14.8	65.4
2020	613	43.0	14.2	65.9
2021	622	43.5	14.2	63.2
2022	689	41.5	16.6	n/a
2023	716	45.5	15.7	64.9
2024	753	47.6	15.8	79.4

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 Walnut Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	468	36.4	12.9	50.6
2009	490	37.5	13.1	53
2010	494	38.2	12.9	56.5
2011	494	41.4	11.9	65.6
2012	457	42.0	10.8	67.6
2013	436	36.5	11.9	68.6
2014	477	40.0	11.9	69.8
2015	470	38.0	12.3	64.7
2016	706	49.0	14.4	67.6
2017	688	48.0	14.3	65.4
2018	654	50.0	13.0	67.1
2019	654	44.0	14.8	65.4
2020	613	43.0	14.2	65.9
2021	622	43.5	14.2	63.2
2022	689	41.5	16.6	n/a
2023	716	45.5	15.7	64.9
2024	753	47.6	15.8	79.4

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 Walnut Creek Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$643 (6.8%)	$8,835 (93.2%)	$9,478
2018	$641 (6.2%)	$9,676 (93.8%)	$10,317
2019	$722 (7.3%)	$9,211 (92.7%)	$9,932

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Walnut Creek Elementary

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 862^nd of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 1017^th of 1242 Elementary schools	12%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Walnut Creek Elementary)	36.5	21.9	14.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Henry County)	34.4	29.2	5.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Walnut Creek Elementary)	46.2	24.8	21.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Henry County)	44.4	34.4	10%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Walnut Creek Elementary)	35.1	20	15.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Henry County)	35.9	27.4	8.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Walnut Creek Elementary)	44.1	18.9	25.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Henry County)	43.4	34.3	9.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Walnut Creek Elementary)	30.5	22.9	7.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Henry County)	40.3	31	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Walnut Creek Elementary)	16.9	13.6	3.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Henry County)	32.5	23.1	9.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Walnut Creek Elementary)	21.2	22	0.8%
5th Grade Science (Henry County)	33.8	25.5	8.3%
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	654	716	9.5%
African American	432	523	21.1%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	10	5	50%
Hispanic	87	90	3.4%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	79	48	39.2%
Two or More Races	45	49	8.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	65.4%	64.9%	0.5%

Schools Near Walnut Creek Elementary

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
Walnut Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3535 McDonough Pkwy	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 288-8561	753	48	15.8	79.4%	48 (6.4%)	569 (75.6%)	74 (9.8%)	8 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (6.9%)	16.3	1076^th of 1248 public elementary schools	13.8%		19.4	1017^th of 1242 public elementary schools	18.1%	59	19.8	18.5	23.3	27.8	14.8	10.7	24.0	$9,932	$722	$9,211
Wesley Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	685 McDonough Pkwy	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 914-1889	787	47	16.8	83.9%	10 (1.3%)	666 (84.6%)	62 (7.9%)	9 (1.1%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	35 (4.4%)	16.3	1077^th of 1248 public elementary schools	13.7%		22.1	972^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	21.7%	105	16.4	22.9	27.4	17.3	18.7	17.6	20.6	$8,935	$772	$8,163
Hickory Flat Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	841 Brannan Rd	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 898-0107	560	41	13.6	69.1%	27 (4.8%)	380 (67.9%)	66 (11.8%)	41 (7.3%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.4%)	41 (7.3%)	24.8	931^st of 1248 public elementary schools	25.4%		27.3	882^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	29.0%	49	22.4	25.5	36.0	22.4	21.1	28.1	27.3	$8,827	$665	$8,162
East Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	199 E Lake Rd	McDonough	30252	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(678) 583-8947	695	48	14.6	48.1%	182 (26.2%)	345 (49.6%)	66 (9.5%)	43 (6.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (8.3%)	59.3	458^th of 1248 public elementary schools	63.3%		68.7	350^th of 1242 public elementary schools	71.8%	108	39.7	38.5	43.9	50.7	55.4	43.9	43.4	$9,247	$272	$8,975
Flippen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	425 Peach Dr	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 954-3522	585	39	14.8	73.2%	65 (11.1%)	384 (65.6%)	87 (14.9%)	16 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.5%)	31.8	811^th of 1248 public elementary schools	35.0%		26.7	890^th of 1242 public elementary schools	28.3%	79	28.4	26.7	42.7	36.4	34.9	17.3	28.2	$9,727	$273	$9,454
Oakland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	551 Highway 81 W	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 954-1901	924	53	17.5	84.0%	41 (4.4%)	655 (70.9%)	152 (16.5%)	17 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	58 (6.3%)	12.3	1150^th of 1248 public elementary schools	7.9%		19.8	1013^th of 1242 public elementary schools	18.4%	137	10.8	25.2	22.1	12.2	20.9	12.8	10.1	$10,639	$793	$9,846
Timber Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2825 Highway 20 E	McDonough	30252	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 288-3237	763	44	17.3	45.5%	190 (24.9%)	417 (54.7%)	85 (11.1%)	22 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	45 (5.9%)	52.2	539^th of 1248 public elementary schools	56.8%		68.2	356^th of 1242 public elementary schools	71.3%	183	31.1	46.3	51.9	37.8	68.3	34.0	28.8	$8,321	$271	$8,049
Pate's Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1309 Jodeco Rd	Stockbridge	30281	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 389-8819	504	38	13.4	74.8%	36 (7.1%)	320 (63.5%)	81 (16.1%)	26 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.1%)	13.5	1130^th of 1248 public elementary schools	9.5%		23.4	951^st of 1242 public elementary schools	23.4%	179	16.0	14.1	14.9	27.2	25.6	14.9	10.8	$10,932	$624	$10,308
Pleasant Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	150 Reagan Rd	Stockbridge	30281	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 898-0176	537	33	16.0	78.8%	110 (20.5%)	280 (52.1%)	96 (17.9%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (8.4%)	29.2	868^th of 1248 public elementary schools	30.4%		30.4	826^th of 1242 public elementary schools	33.5%	42	28.4	14.9	29.5	32.6	33.3	27.4	36.8	$9,778	$721	$9,057
Tussahaw Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	225 Coan Dr	McDonough	30252	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 957-0164	833	56	14.9	82.6%	38 (4.6%)	646 (77.6%)	92 (11.0%)	8 (1.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.5%)	16.3	1075^th of 1248 public elementary schools	13.9%		19.8	1012^th of 1242 public elementary schools	18.5%	63	23.1	20.2	28.8	26.9	19.3	7.6	13.6	$9,421	$712	$8,709

Frequently Asked Questions about Walnut Creek Elementary

What district is Walnut Creek Elementary in?

Henry County

What schools do graduates of Walnut Creek Elementary attend?

Students who attend Walnut Creek Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : McDonough Middle School
High : McDonough High School

Is Walnut Creek Elementary a good school?

Walnut Creek Elementary ranks in the bottom 13.8% of Georgia elementary schools.

How many students attend Walnut Creek Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 753 students attended Walnut Creek Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Walnut Creek Elementary?

Students at Walnut Creek Elementary are 76% African American, 10% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 6% White, 1% Asian.

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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.