New Holland Knowledge Academy, Gainesville GA

Original Research by School Decision on New Holland Knowledge Academy

New Holland Knowledge Academy is a public elementary school in Gainesville serving prekindergarten through fifth grade. The school enrolls a substantial student population concentrated in the early elementary grades, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across PK through fifth grade.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, followed by a substantial African American population, with smaller shares of white students and other groups. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic need in the school community.

State testing results from the most recent year show proficiency rates that are notably low across tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency ranged from around one in six students in third grade to somewhat higher in fifth grade. Mathematics proficiency improved across grades, starting lower in third grade and climbing by fifth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade was similarly modest. These results position the school below the median for overall proficiency when compared to other districts in Hall County.

The school sits within the Gainesville City School District, a small district serving only the city of Gainesville. The district has invested recently in infrastructure and program expansion. A new middle school campus opened in 2022, splitting the district into two middle school zones. At the high school level, the district has completed a major renovation of its campus, added an Advanced Studies Center for workforce development, and expanded career and technical education pathways substantially, though these changes do not yet affect New Holland's elementary students. The high school moved from a block schedule to a traditional seven-period day in 2022.

Gainesville itself is the Hall County seat and a growing community anchored by a historic downtown square undergoing redevelopment with new apartments, mixed-use buildings, and pedestrian infrastructure. The area is one of the fastest-growing metros in the country, with major employers in healthcare (Northeast Georgia Medical Center), manufacturing, poultry processing, and automotive suppliers. Housing costs are moderate relative to national and state benchmarks. The city offers public transit, parks including lakeside recreation, and cultural venues.

A parent considering New Holland should be aware that the school's current test results suggest students are struggling to meet state proficiency benchmarks. The school serves a high-poverty student population with substantial economic need. The district's recent investments and expansions are focused at the middle and high school levels; a parent may want to look into what academic support and intervention resources the elementary school has in place. For families seeking a school with stronger academic outcomes in the immediate term, this may warrant further conversation with the school about its instructional approaches and improvement efforts.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 30% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 434%

School 34% · District 37% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 31% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 22% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · District 26% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 30% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 27% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Social studies

Grades 3-886%

School 86% · district not reported

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

This schoolGainesville City, 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.