The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Math. The lowest is 62% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Buford Senior Academy
Buford Senior Academy is a public elementary school serving fourth and fifth grades in the Buford City School District, located in a north-Atlanta suburb that combines a preserved historic downtown with a sprawling commercial and residential landscape. The school sits in a growing region where families are moving in steadily, drawn by new housing developments, a strengthening school system, and favorable property-tax policies for homeowners.
The school's enrollment reflects Buford's demographic mix. About half the students identify as white, with the remainder distributed across Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating economic diversity in the enrollment. Data on English learners and students with disabilities was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about support services if those are relevant to their child.
On state assessments administered in spring 2025, math proficiency rates varied by grade. Fourth graders performed in the stronger range, while third and fifth graders showed proficiency near or below the midpoint. In English language arts, third grade proficiency was below the midpoint; fourth and fifth graders showed proficiency closer to the middle range. Fifth grade science proficiency fell near the midpoint. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's average proficiency sits above the midpoint among the six districts in Gwinnett County, a meaningful position that reflects solid overall performance without the highest results in the county. The data reflects a single year, so trends over time are not yet visible.
The school is part of a district in active expansion. In fall 2024, third graders moved from Buford Academy to Buford Senior Academy as part of a planned reconfiguration to handle growing enrollment. The district completed a 2023 renovation at Buford Middle School that added capacity, and built a new stadium completed in late 2024. In November 2025, voters approved a five-year renewal of the Education SPLOST, a sales tax that funds school construction and technology infrastructure without raising property taxes. That funding locks in support for ongoing facility and technology work through the late 2020s.
The Buford area itself is growing at a steady pace, with new housing developments underway and median home values in the area slightly above the state benchmark. The city recently increased the homestead exemption on property tax for owner-occupants, beginning in tax year 2025, which lowers ongoing school-tax bills for families who own their homes. Combined with frozen assessed values for homesteaded property under a separate exemption, this creates a material tax advantage relative to many surrounding areas.
Buford as a town mixes a walkable historic downtown core along Main Street with a car-dependent suburban and commercial landscape. The Mall of Georgia and big-box retail dominate the Buford Drive corridor. Lake Lanier, with its beaches and parks, lies nearby and anchors recreation and waterfront living. Schools sit separately from the downtown civic center; Buford High School is located near the county library on Buford Highway rather than in the central downtown.
A parent considering this school should know it serves a specific grade band (fourth and fifth grade only) as part of the district's grade-level organization, so a child will move to a different middle school for sixth grade. The school's proficiency results show solid performance above the county average, though with room for growth particularly in fourth-grade language arts. The broader district context is one of growth, infrastructure investment, and property-tax friendliness for homeowners, all relevant to families deciding whether to relocate to the area.
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