The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Social studies. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Toney Elementary School
Toney Elementary School serves pre-K through fifth grade in Decatur, a compact, walkable city just east of Atlanta. The school enrolls a small population, almost entirely from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The racial composition is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of Hispanic and multiracial students, and a very small number of white and Asian students.
The most immediate fact about Toney is its academic performance. State testing data from the most recent year shows proficiency rates well below what students across the state are achieving. In math, proficiency across grades three through five sits in the low range; in English language arts, third and fourth grade results are similarly low, though fifth grade literacy proficiency rises to roughly one in four students. Science proficiency in fifth grade is also low. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages performance across tested subjects and grades, places it below the midpoint when compared to other districts in DeKalb County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what instructional approaches are underway and what family supports the school recommends.
The school's physical home is Oakland Terrace in Decatur proper. Decatur itself is a dense, progressive community centered on a historic courthouse square, with walkable neighborhoods, transit access via MARTA, and civic anchors including parks, libraries, and community events. The city has been on an infill and growth trajectory for more than a decade, with ongoing development of affordable housing near the downtown core and in adjacent areas. Property values and rents have declined modestly over the past year, and mortgages on median-priced homes in the area would represent a significant expense relative to household income for most families.
Toney is one school within DeKalb County School District, a large suburban system currently navigating major structural change. The district is in the midst of a Student Assignment Project aimed at closing or consolidating dozens of schools to address roughly half-empty buildings. That effort will reshape attendance boundaries and school assignments across multiple clusters, with a final recommendation expected to the Board of Education in December 2026. For any family considering this school, understanding whether Toney is flagged in that consolidation process and what boundary changes may come is essential. In parallel, the district is investing in capital projects funded by a one-cent sales tax approved in 2021, though the immediate physical improvements to Toney are not detailed in available public materials. Property tax rates in DeKalb have been reduced for three consecutive years, though actual tax bills continue to climb because of rising home values.
Toney's peer environment is one of economic concentration. The school serves families almost entirely living at or below the poverty line. The academic headwinds visible in the test results may reflect broader resource and readiness gaps, but they also point to the intensity of instructional challenge the school faces. A parent considering Toney should seek direct conversation with the school leadership about literacy and numeracy interventions, staffing stability, family engagement practices, and the school's theory of how it will move proficiency rates upward. The school's small enrollment makes it a neighborhood school in the truest sense; that intimacy can be a strength for relationship-building, but it also means less diversity of staff and program than larger schools offer.
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