The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Social studies. The lowest is 18% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Crawford County Elementary
Crawford County Elementary serves grades three through five in Roberta, a small residential town in rural southern Georgia roughly a half hour west of Macon. The school sits on the county school campus in central Roberta, one of four schools serving the entire Crawford County district. With an enrollment of just over three hundred students, it is small, and most of its families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic constraints of the area. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful Black representation and smaller numbers of Hispanic and multiracial students.
State testing results show persistently low proficiency across the board. In mathematics, proficiency rates decline as students progress through the school's grades, dipping to around one-in-seven fifth graders meeting the standard. English language arts performance is somewhat higher but still well below half proficient at every grade level. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits at around one-in-five students. These figures represent the core academic output of the school and should weigh heavily in any family decision. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what academic supports exist and what the school's approach is to student development in these core areas.
One older data point, from the early 2010s, showed higher proficiency in social studies, though that assessment has since been discontinued at the state level, so no current trend is available for comparison. The limited single-year trend data does not permit analysis of whether results are stable, improving, or declining.
Roberta itself is a quiet small-town setting without public transit. The downtown area retains historic character with a restored railroad caboose and a replica depot that now houses the Chamber of Commerce; daily life is mostly car-dependent. Most residents rent rather than own, and the town has seen very modest private development. The area economy centers on agriculture, manufacturing, and health services, with a substantial number of workers commuting to Macon. Housing values in the zip code are well below the state benchmark. The Crawford County Board of Education has opted out of Georgia's new homestead exemption on school property taxes, a decision that will affect what families pay over time as home values appreciate.
The school's location within the county's centralized school campus and its small enrollment suggest a place where relationships are close-knit and individual students may receive direct attention from staff. For families whose priority is strong foundational academics in tested subjects, the current proficiency data warrants serious inquiry into tutoring, intervention pathways, and the school's instructional model before enrollment. For families viewing elementary as part of a longer educational arc or whose children may thrive in a small, rural school community with tight social ties, the choice depends on what other supports and resources are available in the home and family network.
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