Dawson Elementary School

Summary:

Dawson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Columbus, Georgia, serving 309 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Muscogee County School District, which is ranked 155 out of 203 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Dawson Elementary has consistently struggled with low academic performance, ranking in the bottom 10% of Georgia elementary schools over the past several years. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 22% of 3rd graders, 10.9% of 4th graders, and 14.6% of 5th graders at Dawson Elementary were proficient or better in English Language Arts, significantly lower than the Dawson Elementary and state averages. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 96.44% to 96.77%, which is much higher than the surrounding schools in the district.

Despite spending more per student ($10,203 to $10,417) than the nearby schools, which range from $8,012 to $11,031 per student, Dawson Elementary is not seeing commensurate improvements in academic performance. The school also has a higher student-teacher ratio (13.7 to 16.6) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 12.3 to 19.5 students per teacher. These factors suggest that Dawson Elementary faces significant challenges in terms of academic achievement, poverty concentration, and effective resource allocation that will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to address.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

180 Northstar Dr
Columbus, GA 31907

(706) 683-8732

District: Muscogee County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1208^th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Students who attend Dawson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:

East Columbus Magnet Academy

Student/teacher ratio: 16.6

Number of students: 309

Racial breakdown:

African American:

83.8%

Two or more races:

7.8%

White:

4.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 96.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dawson Elementary School ranks worse than 96.8% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.97. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Muscogee County:

SchoolDigger ranks Muscogee County 155^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Dawson Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	30.33	855^th	1101	22.3%
2007	40.34	763^rd	1125	32.2%
2008	17.67	1016^th	1134	10.4%
2009	30.11	891^st	1133	21.4%
2010	19.88	1033^rd	1183	12.7%
2011	4.01	1184^th	1212	2.3%
2012	15.66	1068^th	1201	11.1%
2013	14.71	1086^th	1225	11.3%
2014	15.21	1094^th	1231	11.1%
2015	9.46	1177^th	1240	5.1%
2016	10.30	1165^th	1233	5.5%
2017	12.66	1083^rd	1205	10.1%
2018	7.54	1183^rd	1209	2.2%
2019	10.03	1144^th	1234	7.3%
2021	7.43	1194^th	1214	1.6%
2022	6.41	1229^th	1244	1.2%
2023	9.80	1192^nd	1242	4.0%
2024	8.97	1208^th	1248	3.2%

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

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Enrollment information for Dawson 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	350	350
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	355	355
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	330	330
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	370	370
1994	12	368	0	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	393
1995	11	405	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	424
1996	11	405	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	424
1997	17	379	5	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	406
1998	11	404	4	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	428
1999	15	400	5	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	429
2000	11	419	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	439
2001	12	315	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	336
2002	20	358	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	387
2003	20	358	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	387
2004	16	366	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	392
2005	6	366	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	15	394
2006	6	307	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	13	333
2007	3	274	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	17	299
2008	2	278	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	18	303
2009	7	284	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	20	312
2010	5	285	1	0	0	0	22	0	313
2011	7	304	0	4	0	0	17	0	332
2012	11	321	0	7	0	1	15	0	355
2013	8	316	0	12	1	1	13	0	351
2014	10	294	1	15	0	1	6	0	327
2015	7	256	1	10	0	1	8	0	283
2016	9	267	0	9	0	0	3	0	288
2017	8	243	0	13	0	0	5	0	269
2018	7	243	0	9	0	0	9	0	268
2019	3	306	0	11	0	1	15	0	336
2020	2	318	0	6	0	0	19	0	345
2021	3	275	0	11	0	0	21	0	310
2022	5	253	0	11	1	0	28	0	298
2023	13	259	0	13	0	0	24	0	309

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 Dawson Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	350	20.0	17.5	40.9
1991	355	20.0	17.7	38
1992	330	20.0	16.5	45.8
1993	370	20.0	18.5	49.7
1994	393	21.0	18.7	51.9
1995	424	20.0	21.2	55.4
1996	424	20.0	21.2	55.4
1997	406	22.5	18.0	73.9
1998	428	25.0	17.1	82
1999	429	25.7	16.7	72
2000	439	23.4	18.8	70.4
2001	336	20.8	16.2	63.1
2002	387	24.8	15.6	69.5
2003	387	24.8	15.6	69.5
2004	392	24.0	16.3	76.8
2005	394	27.3	14.4	72.3
2006	333	22.0	15.1	83.4
2007	299	22.9	13.1	87.6
2008	303	22.2	13.6	89.5
2009	312	21.6	14.4	84.9
2010	313	20.0	15.6	83.1
2011	332	21.5	15.4	80.7
2012	355	22.7	15.6	85.6
2013	351	24.6	14.2	88
2014	327	21.2	15.4	95.4
2015	283	19.0	14.8	100
2016	288	17.0	16.9	99
2017	269	17.0	15.8	100
2018	268	16.5	16.2	94.4
2019	336	20.0	16.8	94.6
2020	345	22.5	15.3	91.6
2021	310	20.5	15.1	96.8
2022	298	21.7	13.7	n/a
2023	309	18.6	16.6	96.4

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 Dawson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	350	20.0	17.5	40.9
1991	355	20.0	17.7	38
1992	330	20.0	16.5	45.8
1993	370	20.0	18.5	49.7
1994	393	21.0	18.7	51.9
1995	424	20.0	21.2	55.4
1996	424	20.0	21.2	55.4
1997	406	22.5	18.0	73.9
1998	428	25.0	17.1	82
1999	429	25.7	16.7	72
2000	439	23.4	18.8	70.4
2001	336	20.8	16.2	63.1
2002	387	24.8	15.6	69.5
2003	387	24.8	15.6	69.5
2004	392	24.0	16.3	76.8
2005	394	27.3	14.4	72.3
2006	333	22.0	15.1	83.4
2007	299	22.9	13.1	87.6
2008	303	22.2	13.6	89.5
2009	312	21.6	14.4	84.9
2010	313	20.0	15.6	83.1
2011	332	21.5	15.4	80.7
2012	355	22.7	15.6	85.6
2013	351	24.6	14.2	88
2014	327	21.2	15.4	95.4
2015	283	19.0	14.8	100
2016	288	17.0	16.9	99
2017	269	17.0	15.8	100
2018	268	16.5	16.2	94.4
2019	336	20.0	16.8	94.6
2020	345	22.5	15.3	91.6
2021	310	20.5	15.1	96.8
2022	298	21.7	13.7	n/a
2023	309	18.6	16.6	96.4

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 Dawson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$857 (8.4%)	$9,346 (91.6%)	$10,203
2018	$769 (7.4%)	$9,580 (92.6%)	$10,349
2019	$961 (9.2%)	$9,456 (90.8%)	$10,417

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dawson 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 1144^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 1192^nd of 1242 Elementary schools	3.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dawson Elementary School)	19.6	17.8	1.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	34	26.6	7.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dawson Elementary School)	26.1	24.4	1.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	37.6	28.7	8.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dawson Elementary School)	14	12.2	1.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	30	27.3	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dawson Elementary School)	16	7.3	8.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	32.2	29.5	2.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dawson Elementary School)	18.9	8.7	10.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	38.7	31.4	7.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dawson Elementary School)	13.2	0	13.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	29.2	21.2	8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Dawson Elementary School)	11.3	6.5	4.8%
5th Grade Science (Muscogee County)	35.1	29.2	5.9%
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	336	309	8%
African American	306	259	15.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	11	13	18.2%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	3	13	333.3%
Two or More Races	15	24	60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	94.6%	96.4%	1.8%

Schools Near Dawson 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
Dawson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	180 Northstar Dr	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 683-8732	309	19	16.6	96.4%	13 (4.2%)	259 (83.8%)	13 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.8%)	9	1208^th of 1248 public elementary schools	3.2%		9.8	1192^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	4.0%	16	22.0	10.9	14.6	7.3	15.2	10.2	8.2	$10,417	$961	$9,456
St. Marys Video and Communication Technology	Public, Magnet	K-5	4408 Saint Marys Rd	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(706) 683-8841	450	23	19.5	96.7%	4 (0.9%)	392 (87.1%)	20 (4.4%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.7%)	10.4	1179^th of 1248 public elementary schools	5.5%		12.4	1136^th of 1242 public elementary schools	8.5%	43	25.4	9.6	16.7	18.3	10.8	5.1	12.8	$8,012	$653	$7,359
Dimon Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	480 Dogwood Dr	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(706) 683-8772	328	24	13.9	96.6%	6 (1.8%)	271 (82.6%)	19 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.8%)	19.2	1016^th of 1248 public elementary schools	18.6%		23.6	942^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	24.2%	74	21.2	28.3	20.3	21.2	26.7	14.9	24.7	$9,168	$715	$8,453
Lonnie Jackson Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	4601 Buena Vista Rd	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 565-3039	434	27	15.9	96.5%	22 (5.1%)	366 (84.3%)	24 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.8%)	14.4	1108^th of 1248 public elementary schools	11.2%		10	1184^th of 1242 public elementary schools	4.7%	76	12.1	7.4	32.2	6.1	7.4	20.3	30.5	$10,320	$737	$9,583
Georgetown Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	954 High Ln	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 565-2980	412	25	16.4	96.6%	17 (4.1%)	348 (84.5%)	22 (5.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.3%)	12	1156^th of 1248 public elementary schools	7.4%		8.9	1202^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	3.2%	46	23.8	10.6	25.0	17.5	10.6	9.4	15.6	$8,764	$837	$7,927
Wesley Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 Amber Dr	Columbus	31907	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 569-3733	405	25	16.5	96.5%	14 (3.5%)	350 (86.4%)	19 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.4%)	17.7	1046^th of 1248 public elementary schools	16.2%		20.9	990^th of 1242 public elementary schools	20.3%	56	21.2	19.6	26.4	17.3	30.4	20.8	15.1	$8,681	$832	$7,849
Martin Luther King- Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	350 30th Ave	Columbus	31903	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 683-8815	456	34	13.6	96.5%	6 (1.3%)	316 (69.3%)	119 (26.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	7.9	1224^th of 1248 public elementary schools	1.9%		8.4	1207^th of 1242 public elementary schools	2.8%	17	5.6	13.2	14.7	12.5	13.2	9.3	14.7	$9,952	$896	$9,056
Brewer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2951 Martin Luther King	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2479	498	36	14.0	96.6%	22 (4.4%)	360 (72.3%)	92 (18.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.4%)	4.1	1248^th of 1248 public elementary schools	0.0%		5.5	1237^th of 1242 public elementary schools	0.4%	11	4.9	2.6	6.4	0.0	5.1	3.9	11.8	$9,826	$886	$8,941
Dorothy Height Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1458 Benning Dr	Columbus	31903	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 683-8871	500	38	13.3	96.6%	9 (1.8%)	427 (85.4%)	35 (7.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.2%)	9.3	1202^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	3.7%		12	1142^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	8.1%	60	9.6	6.2	20.3	13.5	20.0	9.4	17.2	$11,031	$1,344	$9,686
Rigdon Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1320 Rigdon Rd	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 565-2989	403	27	14.8	96.8%	12 (3.0%)	327 (81.1%)	30 (7.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (7.9%)	9.9	1189^th of 1248 public elementary schools	4.7%		15.9	1080^th of 1242 public elementary schools	13.0%	109	1.9	9.6	21.1	7.5	19.2	8.6	23.2	$10,569	$1,081	$9,488

Frequently Asked Questions about Dawson Elementary School

Is Dawson Elementary School a good school?

Dawson Elementary School ranks in the bottom 3.2% of Georgia elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Dawson Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : East Columbus Magnet Academy

How many students attend Dawson Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 309 students attended Dawson Elementary School.

What district is Dawson Elementary School in?

Muscogee County

What is the racial makeup of Dawson Elementary School?

Students at Dawson Elementary School are 84% African American, 8% Two or more races, 4% White, 4% Hispanic.

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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.