The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in Social studies. The lowest is 21% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Marbut Elementary School
Marbut Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lithonia, Georgia, serving grades Pre-K through fifth grade, with an enrollment of about four hundred students. The school is located in a small city in eastern DeKalb County with deep roots in granite quarrying and a predominantly Black community. Lithonia's downtown historic district is walkable, with storefronts reflecting the city's past, and sits near the Arabia Mountain PATH trail system that connects to outdoor preserves. The area is experiencing new residential growth, with townhome and apartment communities under construction by national builders, and sits within a growth corridor near I-20 and Stonecrest that is drawing families and development. Transit is available through MARTA bus service and GRTA commuter routes to downtown Atlanta.
Academic proficiency at Marbut Elementary is low across tested subjects. In math, fewer than half of fourth graders and a smaller fraction of third and fifth graders reach proficiency, with proficiency declining from third to fifth grade. In English language arts, proficiency rates are similarly constrained, below the midpoint in every tested grade. Science proficiency, tested only in fifth grade, is also low. State testing data shows no multi-year trend; only the most recent school year is available, so growth or change over time cannot be assessed. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places the school above the midpoint among districts in DeKalb County, though this reflects a composite and should not be read as a counterweight to the individual grade and subject results. A parent may want to look into further what academic supports and interventions the school is putting in place to address proficiency gaps.
The student body is nearly entirely Black, at about nine in ten students, with the remainder Hispanic or multiracial. An overwhelming majority, roughly nine in ten, qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating substantial economic need within the school community. Special populations data on students with IEPs and English learners were not available.
Housing in the Lithonia area is moderately priced relative to the Atlanta metro, though prices have declined slightly in recent months. Rental housing is modest in cost, and home costs represent a middle range relative to state and national benchmarks. The affordability calculator suggests that rent consumes about one-quarter of income for a household of median metro means, and a mortgage on a typical home in the zip code, with standard lending assumptions, would similarly sit within reach of many working families.
Families considering Marbut Elementary should be aware that DeKalb County is undertaking a multi-year Student Assignment Project that could significantly reshape school assignments and boundaries across the district. An initial scenario released in early 2025 flagged dozens of schools for possible closure or consolidation due to excess capacity, with a final recommendation expected to the Board of Education in December 2026. This process will directly affect attendance zones and school assignments for years to come, and a parent should monitor district communications about which clusters and schools may be affected. Additionally, DeKalb's property tax rate, though being reduced incrementally each year, remains among the highest in Georgia, and despite rollbacks, property-tax bills have continued to rise as home values climb. Voters also approved a sales tax referendum in 2021 to fund capital projects through 2027, including new school facilities and conversion of some high schools into career and specialty academies, which will reshape the secondary pathway landscape for students over time.
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