Winston Elementary School, Winston GA

Original Research by School Decision on Winston Elementary School

Winston Elementary is a small school in an unincorporated suburban community west of Atlanta, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a neighborhood of mixed-age single-family homes and active new-home construction. The school draws a population that is economically stretched and racially mixed: a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is roughly balanced among Hispanic, Black, and White students, with smaller numbers of multiracial students.

The school's academic profile is mixed. Math proficiency across grades three through five sits around the midpoint, with each grade hovering just above or slightly below even performance on state assessments. Science proficiency in fifth grade is notably stronger. English language arts is the area of concern: proficiency in grades three and four falls well below math, and only in grade five does ELA performance rise to a majority proficiency level. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Douglas County's three districts, reflecting above-average performance relative to its county peers.

Winston Elementary is a regular public school with no specialized program designation. The school is located in a wooded, vehicle-dependent suburb where everyday services require a drive to nearby Douglasville; Winston itself has no downtown or central civic anchor. New-home construction is active in the neighborhood, and housing values show modest appreciation. The community includes parks with sports fields and a nature preserve but no library of its own. The broader Douglas County area is experiencing job growth driven by data-center investment, and residents have access to Atlanta employment via Interstate 20.

The Douglas County School System approved a continuation of its education sales tax in 2024 and is undertaking a major replacement of Lithia Springs High School. In August 2025, the district cut its millage rate for the tenth consecutive year, though rising property assessments mean homeowners with average-value properties will still see a modest annual tax increase. A parent may want to look into the school's current strategies for closing the ELA gap in the lower elementary grades, as well as the school's approach to supporting the substantial share of students qualifying for lunch assistance.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 35% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 453%

School 53% · District 41% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 36% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 28% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 36% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 40% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Science

Grade 565%

School 65% · District 41% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Social studies

Grades 3-898%

School 98% · district not reported

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

This schoolDouglas 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grades 3-8Lower-income46%Higher-income73%27 pp gap

Mathematics

Grades 3-8Lower-income56%Higher-income87%31 pp gap