Big Creek Elementary School, Cumming GA

Original Research by School Decision on Big Creek Elementary School

Big Creek Elementary serves a diverse, affluent student body in a suburban setting within one of metro Atlanta's fastest-growing counties. The school enrolls a student population that is roughly mid-sized for its grade band, with more than half of students identifying as Asian, a notable feature reflecting the broader demographic shift in Forsyth County as it has grown into an exurban employment and residential hub. About a small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a generally high-income community, though the school draws from the broader district rather than exclusively from one neighborhood.

Academically, the school shows uneven performance across subjects. Math results are the school's strongest suit, with proficiency rates climbing steadily across the grade levels tested, reaching a high point in fifth grade. English language arts proficiency rates hold steady but rest noticeably below math, with about two-thirds of fifth graders proficient. Science proficiency, measured only in fifth grade, dips further, falling below the school's other tested areas. The school has only one year of recent assessment data available, so longer-term trends cannot be established.

The school sits within Forsyth County Schools, a district navigating rapid growth and significant property value appreciation. Two recent district-level decisions frame the landscape for families. Voters approved a homestead exemption that caps annual increases in school property tax value, providing long-term predictability for homeowners in what has been an expensive housing market. The district also approved a distraction-free education policy banning cell phones and smart watches during the school day for all grade levels, including elementary, a change that affects the daily classroom environment.

Cumming, the city where Big Creek Elementary is located, has transformed from a small rural community into one of the Atlanta region's fastest-growing suburbs. The historic downtown, anchored by a courthouse square, now adjoins the newer Cumming City Center, a mixed-use development with retail, dining, and civic spaces. The broader area is car-dependent and lacks fixed public transit, though new trail infrastructure like the Big Creek Greenway provides recreation and some connectivity. Housing values in the area reflect strong demand and limited inventory, and the area attracts families drawn by new-construction neighborhoods, highly regarded schools, and proximity to metro Atlanta employment centers.

The school's enrollment includes a broad geographic and socioeconomic spread. While demographic data on English learners and students with IEPs are not available, the school's racial and ethnic composition, skewed heavily toward Asian students, reflects a meaningful shift in the county's student population. Whether Big Creek fits a family depends on what they prioritize: the school delivers solid math proficiency and sits in an area of substantial new housing and community investment, but families concerned about reading proficiency gaps or seeking longer assessment histories to track improvement would benefit from asking the school directly about its literacy initiatives and recent year-to-year changes.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 380%

School 80% · District 69% · ▲ 11 pts above district

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

Grade 483%

School 83% · District 74% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 586%

School 86% · District 74% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 369%

School 69% · District 54% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 469%

School 69% · District 61% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 576%

School 76% · District 65% · ▲ 11 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 63% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · even with county median

Social studies

Grades 3-898%

School 98% · district not reported

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

This schoolForsyth 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

Grade 4Lower-income40%Higher-income76%36 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income44%Higher-income90%46 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income44%Higher-income81%37 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income53%Higher-income94%41 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income56%Higher-income91%34 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income59%Higher-income89%30 pp gap