Snapfinger Elementary School, Decatur GA

Original Research by School Decision on Snapfinger Elementary School

Snapfinger Elementary is a small public school in Decatur serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is almost entirely drawn from low-income families; all enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The racial composition is predominantly Black, with smaller populations of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students.

The school's recent state test results show very low proficiency across all tested subjects. In mathematics, students in grades three through five achieved single-digit proficiency rates. English language arts showed slightly higher results, with fifth grade reaching proficiency but third and fourth grades remaining in the low single digits. Science proficiency in fifth grade was similarly low. These are the lowest proficiency levels reported; a parent may want to look into the school's instructional approach, supports, and any plans to address these outcomes directly with school leadership.

Snapfinger sits within Decatur, a walkable, progressive four-square-mile city just east of Atlanta centered around an active downtown courthouse square. The city hosts strong civic anchors including the Decatur Library, three MARTA transit stations, and legacy parks; the area has an A-plus walkability rating and is known for its tree-lined residential neighborhoods and tight-knit community events. Decatur is currently experiencing sustained growth, with new affordable housing projects and transit-oriented development reshaping the city's footprint.

The broader DeKalb County School District is undergoing significant change. A multi-year Student Assignment Project launched in 2024 aims to address substantial excess capacity by potentially closing or consolidating dozens of schools over the next six to ten years; final recommendations are expected in December 2026. This redistricting effort will reshape attendance boundaries across multiple clusters and represents a material, lasting consideration for families choosing where to live in DeKalb. At the same time, E-SPLOST VI, a sales-tax referendum approved by voters in 2021, is funding major facility upgrades including new schools and program conversions. The district's property tax millage rate has been reduced for three consecutive years, though actual tax bills have continued to rise due to property value growth.

The housing market in the Decatur area shows modest recent decline in both values and rents. Median home prices in the zip code are below the state benchmark, and rents have dipped slightly year-over-year. The ratio of housing cost to income locally is slightly above the national benchmark for purchases but reasonable for renters.

Snapfinger's low proficiency results warrant direct conversation with the school about curriculum, teacher support, and remedial strategies. The looming redistricting project also merits clarification: families should confirm whether this school will remain open and, if so, whether its boundary or assignment is expected to change under the Student Assignment Project's final recommendations.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 38%

School 8% · District 34% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 47%

School 7% · District 35% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 38 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 57%

School 7% · District 32% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 312%

School 12% · District 30% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 411%

School 11% · District 30% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 35% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Science

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 33% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Social studies

Grades 3-850%

School 50% · district not reported

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

This schoolDeKalb County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.