The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Social studies. The lowest is 31% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mattie Wells Elementary School
Mattie Wells Elementary serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Macon, a mid-sized Central Georgia city anchored by healthcare, higher education, and government work, with a revitalizing downtown marked by locally owned restaurants and shops and extensive park access along the Ocmulgee River. The school sits within Jones County Schools, a small district that recently centralized enrollment at the Central Office as of March 2026 and launched an advanced SPARK Academy at the middle school level for high-achieving students.
The school's enrollment of roughly five hundred eighty students is small for an elementary setting. The student body reflects Macon's demographics: students are nearly evenly split between White and Black students, with a smaller Hispanic population and a very small Asian enrollment. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school serves a high-poverty population. Special education and English learner enrollment rates were not available in the data provided.
State testing results from spring 2025 show proficiency across tested grades and subjects ranging from the mid-twenties to upper-thirties in math and English language arts, and slightly higher in science. Third-grade English language arts performance is the strongest measure at the school. Fifth-grade math proficiency is the lowest across the grades tested. These results position the school well below state averages and represent a real academic gap that prospective families should understand. Only one year of testing data was available, so trend information is not yet present. Science results in fifth grade run somewhat higher than the reading and math results at that grade.
The school building encompasses all grades from pre-K through fifth, meaning a family enrolling their child will be on a campus with five-year-olds through eleven-year-olds. The grade distribution shows balanced enrollment in most grades, with slightly fewer fourth graders than peers, and notably more fifth graders, suggesting the top grade is fuller or may reflect holding patterns before transition to middle school.
Housing in the Macon area is modestly priced relative to other metro areas and to the national average, with modest year-over-year appreciation. Rents have increased notably in recent years, though remain lower than mortgage-to-income ratios, making rental more affordable than homeownership for many. Downtown Macon is highly walkable with tree-lined streets and wide sidewalks, though neighborhoods beyond the downtown core are car-dependent for most errands.
Jones County Schools implemented centralized K-12 enrollment at the district office as of March 2026, replacing school-by-school registration. This is a structural change any new family to the district will encounter. The district has also consolidated ninth-graders into the high school following a 2021 voter-approved school sales tax, creating a grades 9-12 structure, and has launched a SPARK Academy at the middle school level for advanced learners.
For a family considering Mattie Wells, the core question is whether this school's current academic performance level fits their family's needs and goals, and whether they plan to engage with tutoring or supplemental support. The school serves a population with significant economic challenges, and the proficiency numbers reflect that context. The school does not have magnet status or charter status; it is a traditional public school. Early grade programming (pre-K and kindergarten) is present on campus.
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