Red Oak Elementary School, Stockbridge GA

Original Research by School Decision on Red Oak Elementary School

Red Oak Elementary School serves pre-K through fifth grade in Stockbridge, a fast-growing suburb south of Atlanta. The school sits in a community experiencing substantial residential growth, with new townhome and single-family subdivisions attracting families and young professionals drawn by land availability and affordability compared to closer-in metro areas.

The student body reflects the demographic makeup of this emerging neighborhood: the vast majority identify as Black, with meaningful Asian and Hispanic populations and smaller white enrollment. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating significant economic need within the school's draw area. Enrollment sits around typical size for an elementary school of this grade band.

State testing results from the most recent year show proficiency rates across math, English language arts, and science that fall well below the state median. In math, proficiency ranged from approximately one-fifth of students in fifth grade up to about one-third in third grade. In English language arts, proficiency hovered around one-third of third graders, with fourth and fifth graders reaching similar rates. Science proficiency in fifth grade reached approximately one-third. These are notably low outcomes. A parent may want to look into this further with the school and district, including what support structures exist for students not yet proficient and what specific interventions the school has in place. The school has only one year of recent state data available, so year-to-year trend information is not available to show whether proficiency is rising, stable, or declining.

One older result from 2013-14 in social studies showed much higher proficiency, but that assessment is no longer administered in Georgia's current testing system, so it does not provide a current picture of performance in that subject.

Red Oak is part of Henry County Schools, which is undertaking significant infrastructure investment through E-SPLOST funding approved by voters. The district is building a new STEM high school opening in 2027, expanding existing schools, and purchasing buses and technology. For families with younger students, this suggests the district is planning for growth and investing in future capacity. The district also recently implemented a districtwide cell phone ban for students in all grades beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, and has added a community service graduation requirement for high school students entering ninth grade in 2024 and beyond. For elementary families, the cell phone policy is the immediate operational change to know about.

Stockbridge itself is one of the metro's faster-growing cities, shaped by car-oriented suburban development along Interstate 75 and U.S. Route 23. Most residents own their homes, and the community is known for parks and a family-oriented atmosphere. Healthcare, retail, and logistics drive the local economy, anchored by Piedmont Henry Hospital and various distribution operations. Housing values in the zip code are moderate relative to the state and national benchmarks, and rents are also in a mid-range, making the area accessible to working families. Panola Mountain State Park and several municipal parks provide outdoor recreation nearby. Transit to Atlanta is available through a commuter park-and-ride served by express bus routes.

The school offers a traditional elementary program in a growing district with visible long-term investment, serving a predominantly Black student body with substantial economic need and recent immigrant populations. The recent proficiency results indicate students are significantly behind on state benchmarks, which is a serious concern parents should discuss directly with school leadership. The context is one of rapid growth, accessible housing, and employment anchored in healthcare and logistics rather than high-skill sectors.

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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 425%

School 25% · District 37% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 28% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 29% · ▲ 2 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 30% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 34% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Science

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 33%

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

Social studies

Grades 3-888%

School 88% · district not reported

▲ 4 pts above state median · even with 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-income25%Higher-income57%33 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income19%Higher-income21%2 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income30%Higher-income53%23 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income25%Higher-income44%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income17%Higher-income39%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income21%Higher-income21%1 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income22%Higher-income38%16 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income20%Higher-income33%12 pp gap