Oakland Elementary School, Mcdonough GA

Original Research by School Decision on Oakland Elementary School

Oakland Elementary School is a public elementary serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in McDonough, a fast-growing I-75 corridor suburb about thirty miles southeast of Atlanta. The school enrolls a majority of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, reflecting McDonough's diverse working-class character alongside newer suburban development. Most students identify as Black, with substantial representation from Hispanic and multiracial families. The composition is typical of rapidly growing exurban districts where new housing and employment centers draw families seeking affordable proximity to Atlanta.

Academic performance at Oakland is significantly below state expectations across every tested area. On state math assessments, proficiency declined sharply across the tested elementary grades, from lower to substantially lower levels in the upper grades. Reading proficiency was similarly weak across third through fifth grade, and science proficiency in fifth grade was among the lowest measures reported. These results show that the vast majority of students are not meeting grade-level benchmarks in the foundational skills the state measures. A parent considering Oakland should ask the school directly what supports exist for struggling readers and mathematicians, how the school identifies and serves students who fall behind early, and what data the school tracks on reading gains in particular, since third-grade reading is a critical juncture.

The school's enrollment is stable and spans all elementary grades relatively evenly, suggesting a full neighborhood feeder pattern rather than a magnet or choice-based draw. About four of every five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that most families face economic constraints. It is unclear from available data whether the school identifies and serves students with disabilities, since counts for special education and English learners were not reported. A parent may want to check whether the school has capacity in its special education and English language programs and what the wait times or placement procedures look like.

McDonough itself is in the midst of substantial residential growth, with new subdivisions and townhomes adding families across the area. The housing market is moderately priced below state benchmark values, though recent appreciation has slowed. Major employers cluster around logistics, distribution, and manufacturing tied to the Interstate corridor, alongside Henry County government and schools. The downtown square anchors civic life with a pedestrian-friendly historic core, though schools operate on separate suburban campuses rather than embedded in the town center.

Henry County Schools is investing in infrastructure through an approved sales-tax measure running through 2028, funding new school construction and expansion of existing facilities. The district has also adopted a districtwide cell-phone ban for all K-12 students effective this school year and a new community service graduation requirement for high school students beginning with the Class of 2028. These changes reflect a district-level commitment to both facility growth and behavioral and civic expectations. Oakland's relatively weak academic results should be the primary lens through which a parent evaluates fit, alongside questions about specific intervention capacity for early readers and students below grade level.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 334%

School 34% · District 33% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 37% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 517%

School 17% · District 28% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 326%

School 26% · District 29% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 30% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 34% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Science

Grade 517%

School 17% · District 33% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Social studies

Grades 3-881%

School 81% · district not reported

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

This schoolHenry 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 3Lower-income8%Higher-income32%24 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income24%Higher-income32%8 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income20%Higher-income33%13 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income17%Higher-income32%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income12%Higher-income11%1 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income19%Higher-income32%13 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income10%Higher-income29%19 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income13%Higher-income24%11 pp gap