Matthew Arthur Elementary School

Summary:

Matthew Arthur Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Kathleen, Georgia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 873 students. The school is part of the Houston County School District, which is ranked 53 out of 203 districts in Georgia and is rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Matthew Arthur Elementary School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Georgia, with a statewide ranking between 49 and 69 over the past 5 years. The school's students consistently outperform the Houston County and Georgia state averages in the Milestones Assessment for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 81.5% of 5th-grade students at Matthew Arthur Elementary School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 61% for Houston County and 48.2% for the state of Georgia. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.4 to 16.3 over the past 3 years, and a higher spending per student, ranging from $10,195 to $10,280, compared to some nearby schools.

While Matthew Arthur Elementary School consistently outperforms the Houston County and Georgia state averages, some nearby schools, such as Bonaire Primary School and Lake Joy Elementary School, also demonstrate strong academic performance, with rankings in the top 200 elementary schools in Georgia. However, other nearby schools, such as Morningside Elementary School, have lower academic performance, with rankings in the 500s and 600s among Georgia elementary schools. Additionally, Matthew Arthur Elementary School has a relatively low percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients, ranging from 22.51% to 28.75% over the past 3 years, compared to some nearby schools that have significantly higher percentages.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2500 Ga Highway 127
Kathleen, GA 31047

(478) 988-6170

District: Houston County

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

Students who attend Matthew Arthur Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Bonaire Middle School
High:	Veterans High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 873

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.3%

African American:

25.1%

Two or more races:

9.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Matthew Arthur Elementary School ranks better than 94.5% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.64. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Houston County:

SchoolDigger ranks Houston County 53^rd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Matthew Arthur Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	81.02	143^rd	1101	87.0%
2007	82.83	130^th	1125	88.4%
2008	81.87	140^th	1134	87.7%
2009	87.90	72^nd	1133	93.6%
2010	85.54	95^th	1183	92.0%
2011	83.73	128^th	1212	89.4%
2012	77.65	234^th	1201	80.5%
2013	80.37	191^st	1225	84.4%
2014	77.33	245^th	1231	80.1%
2015	77.59	236^th	1240	81.0%
2016	76.42	252^nd	1233	79.6%
2017	87.83	131^st	1205	89.1%
2018	85.31	159^th	1209	86.8%
2019	89.61	120^th	1234	90.3%
2021	96.35	49^th	1214	96.0%
2022	95.72	66^th	1244	94.7%
2023	91.35	118^th	1242	90.5%
2024	94.64	69^th	1248	94.5%

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: 4.5)

75%

25%

by a parent
Friday, August 31, 2012

This school has went from being an above average school to just average. If it weren't for the great teachers it would definitely be a below average school. I have had more problems with this school this year than I have had the entire seven years we have attended. Again, the teachers are great; however, the administration (exception Dr. McDuffie) and the office staff are rude and unorganized. There used to be a sweet atmosphere in the school and now I'm lucky to even see anyone smile. I am highly disappointed in what MAE has become. "It feels like a prison" is what my child told me. How sad!!! Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Friday, August 12, 2011

My child is autistic and entered MAES near the end of the school year (2011). He was in Kindergarten. After an interview with the principal, Mrs. Jolie Hardin, he was placed with Mrs. Joni Shannon and Mrs. Collins. He blossomed under their care! No one knew that he was autistic at his last school until the very end, so they treated him as a problem child. Not so with Mrs. Shannon! She is fully trained to handle autistic children in the mainstream classroom, and does so beautifully! Thank goodness the school decided to cycle Mrs. Shannon and her whole class together for 1st grade! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, May 30, 2011

I had 3 children who attended this school and can't think of one bad thing to say. The teachers and administration are all wonderful. They provide a great learning environment for the students. The PTO is very active and provides fun activities for the students. Without question, this is the best elementary school in Houston County. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Matthew Arthur Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2000	472	103	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	586
2001	551	93	6	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	656
2002	567	107	12	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	694
2003	567	107	12	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	694
2004	589	110	18	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	723
2005	573	108	13	4	4	n/a	n/a	21	723
2006	576	118	8	10	4	n/a	n/a	24	740
2007	631	112	12	16	3	n/a	n/a	25	799
2008	469	111	7	5	2	n/a	n/a	20	614
2009	486	123	9	9	5	n/a	n/a	21	653
2010	496	129	9	29	1	1	18	0	683
2011	465	140	8	29	1	1	22	0	666
2012	536	138	4	36	2	0	27	0	743
2013	556	164	3	49	2	0	25	0	799
2014	563	156	5	54	1	2	29	0	810
2015	517	129	6	39	2	0	24	0	717
2016	477	141	5	41	2	0	39	0	705
2017	482	169	3	54	4	1	46	0	759
2018	483	174	5	60	6	2	48	0	778
2019	474	178	6	67	5	2	60	0	792
2020	509	192	10	64	6	2	66	0	849
2021	458	178	11	47	6	1	63	0	764
2022	481	202	16	65	8	0	78	0	850
2023	483	219	13	66	10	0	82	0	873

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 Matthew Arthur Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	586	30.0	19.5	26.5
2001	656	40.0	16.4	25.5
2002	694	45.5	15.3	18.9
2003	694	45.5	15.3	18.9
2004	723	45.5	15.9	20.3
2005	723	46.5	15.5	24.2
2006	740	50.5	14.7	23
2007	799	53.5	14.9	28
2008	614	47.5	12.9	28.6
2009	653	47.5	13.7	35.8
2010	683	49.0	13.9	36
2011	666	49.2	13.5	34.1
2012	743	51.0	14.5	34.2
2013	799	54.4	14.6	35.9
2014	810	54.5	14.8	38
2015	717	50.0	14.3	34
2016	705	48.0	14.6	36
2017	759	50.0	15.1	33.3
2018	778	49.0	15.8	33.4
2019	792	51.0	15.5	28.8
2020	849	55.0	15.4	27.6
2021	764	49.5	15.4	22.5
2022	850	53.0	16.0	n/a
2023	873	53.5	16.3	28.8

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 Matthew Arthur Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	586	30.0	19.5	26.5
2001	656	40.0	16.4	25.5
2002	694	45.5	15.3	18.9
2003	694	45.5	15.3	18.9
2004	723	45.5	15.9	20.3
2005	723	46.5	15.5	24.2
2006	740	50.5	14.7	23
2007	799	53.5	14.9	28
2008	614	47.5	12.9	28.6
2009	653	47.5	13.7	35.8
2010	683	49.0	13.9	36
2011	666	49.2	13.5	34.1
2012	743	51.0	14.5	34.2
2013	799	54.4	14.6	35.9
2014	810	54.5	14.8	38
2015	717	50.0	14.3	34
2016	705	48.0	14.6	36
2017	759	50.0	15.1	33.3
2018	778	49.0	15.8	33.4
2019	792	51.0	15.5	28.8
2020	849	55.0	15.4	27.6
2021	764	49.5	15.4	22.5
2022	850	53.0	16.0	n/a
2023	873	53.5	16.3	28.8

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 Matthew Arthur Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$563 (5.5%)	$9,632 (94.5%)	$10,195
2018	$385 (3.7%)	$9,896 (96.3%)	$10,280
2019	$405 (4.0%)	$9,820 (96.0%)	$10,225

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Matthew Arthur 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 120^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 118^th of 1242 Elementary schools	0.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Matthew Arthur Elementary School)	69.2	61.4	7.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Houston County)	47.6	44.9	2.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Matthew Arthur Elementary School)	77.7	63.9	13.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Houston County)	55.1	50.5	4.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Matthew Arthur Elementary School)	75	63.6	11.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Houston County)	48.7	45.1	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Matthew Arthur Elementary School)	84.3	70.5	13.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Houston County)	54.6	55.6	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Matthew Arthur Elementary School)	62.9	68.9	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Houston County)	49.7	47.1	2.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Matthew Arthur Elementary School)	59.1	64.9	5.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Houston County)	45.3	43.7	1.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Matthew Arthur Elementary School)	56.8	65.5	8.7%
5th Grade Science (Houston County)	47.6	43.7	3.9%
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	792	873	10.2%
African American	178	219	23%
American Indian	5	10	100%
Asian	6	13	116.7%
Hispanic	67	66	1.5%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	474	483	1.9%
Two or More Races	60	82	36.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	28.8%	28.8%	0%

Schools Near Matthew Arthur Elementary School

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
Matthew Arthur Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2500 Ga Highway 127	Kathleen	31047	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 988-6170	873	54	16.3	28.8%	483 (55.3%)	219 (25.1%)	66 (7.6%)	13 (1.5%)	10 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (9.4%)	94.6	69^th of 1248 public elementary schools	94.5%		91.4	118^th of 1242 public elementary schools	90.5%	49	68.6	73.5	81.5	75.9	77.8	67.8	65.1	$10,225	$405	$9,820
Langston Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Langston Rd	Perry	31069	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 988-6160	867	54	15.9	48.9%	467 (53.9%)	235 (27.1%)	89 (10.3%)	14 (1.6%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	58 (6.7%)	89.4	145^th of 1248 public elementary schools	88.4%		86.3	168^th of 1242 public elementary schools	86.5%	23	57.0	64.5	72.4	66.2	81.9	58.2	60.4	$8,882	$190	$8,692
Langston Road Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	325 Langston Road	Perry	31069	Houston County	Houston County	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(478) 988-6160	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Hilltop Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Robert Bryson Smith Pkwy	Bonaire	31005	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 929-6113	600	40	15.0	48.2%	304 (50.7%)	162 (27.0%)	62 (10.3%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	65 (10.8%)	74	295^th of 1248 public elementary schools	76.4%		78.1	250^th of 1242 public elementary schools	79.9%	45	48.8	65.9	55.8	57.1	74.4	42.1	43.2	$9,130	$449	$8,681
David A. Perdue Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	150 Jerry Barker Dr	Warner Robins	31088	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 218-7500	713	47	15.0	51.2%	298 (41.8%)	259 (36.3%)	78 (10.9%)	21 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	54 (7.6%)								(n/a)								$9,909	$185	$9,724
David A. Perdue Elementary School	Public	3-5	115 Sutherlin Dr	Warner Robins	31088	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 988-6350	624	38	16.3	44.7%	260 (41.7%)	211 (33.8%)	67 (10.7%)	29 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (9.1%)	74.6	287^th of 1248 public elementary schools	77.0%		73.8	292^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	76.5%	5	46.2	45.2	65.5	53.8	63.6	46.1	55.2	$8,464	$307	$8,157
Kings Chapel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	460 Arena Rd	Perry	31069	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 988-6273	632	41	15.5	31.5%	483 (76.4%)	85 (13.4%)	26 (4.1%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (4.9%)	84	189^th of 1248 public elementary schools	84.9%		86	172^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	86.2%	17	63.0	39.8	73.7	79.3	60.2	59.6	57.6	$10,016	$193	$9,824
Bonaire Elementary School	Public	3-5	101 Elm St	Bonaire	31005	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 929-7826	529	36	14.6	32.7%	318 (60.1%)	97 (18.3%)	56 (10.6%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (9.5%)	91	121^st of 1248 public elementary schools	90.3%		88.1	147^th of 1242 public elementary schools	88.2%	26	68.7	59.1	69.9	75.3	72.0	66.2	61.5	$8,129	$299	$7,829
Morningside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1206 Morningside Dr	Perry	31069	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	Yes	(478) 988-6261	503	36	13.9	83.9%	115 (22.9%)	323 (64.2%)	29 (5.8%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.4%)	54.5	509^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.2%		46.4	604^th of 1242 public elementary schools	51.4%	95	37.3	34.1	56.8	48.0	40.2	37.0	44.4	$10,441	$664	$9,778
Bonaire Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	535 Thompson Mill Rd	Bonaire	31005	Houston County	Houston County	No	No	No	No	(478) 922-2194	624	41	15.2	29.2%	386 (61.9%)	109 (17.5%)	60 (9.6%)	10 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (9.3%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Matthew Arthur Elementary School

How many students attend Matthew Arthur Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 873 students attended Matthew Arthur Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Matthew Arthur Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Matthew Arthur Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bonaire Middle School
High : Veterans High School

What district is Matthew Arthur Elementary School in?

Houston County

Is Matthew Arthur Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Matthew Arthur Elementary School ranks in the top 5.5% of Georgia elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Matthew Arthur Elementary School?

Students at Matthew Arthur Elementary School are 55% White, 25% African American, 9% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

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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.