Joseph Martin Elementary School, Hinesville GA

Original Research by School Decision on Joseph Martin Elementary School

Joseph Martin Elementary School is an elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Hinesville, Georgia, with an enrollment that spans across a typical range for its grade band. The school sits in Liberty County, a region experiencing rapid growth centered on Fort Stewart, the largest U.S. Army installation east of the Mississippi River, which shapes the local workforce and brings young, diverse families to the area.

On state assessments in 2024-25, Joseph Martin's proficiency results are below what would typically be considered a strength. In mathematics, results range from around a quarter proficient at the fourth and fifth grade levels to a somewhat higher rate at third grade. In English language arts, proficiency rates cluster in the low-to-mid range across third, fourth, and fifth grades, with fifth grade showing a slightly better result. Science proficiency at fifth grade falls around one-third. These numbers indicate that a substantial majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level standards in tested subjects. This is the kind of baseline a parent may want to look into further with the school, asking about what supports are in place for students working below proficiency and what the school's plan is for improvement.

The student body is diverse. Black students make up the largest racial group, followed by white students and a substantial Hispanic population, with smaller numbers of Asian students, multiracial students, and others. A significant majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is typical of schools serving military-connected families and reflects the economic context of the region. Special-population data were not available.

Joseph Martin is a regular public school operated by the Liberty County School District. The district has made a deliberate shift in recent years to reduce its property tax millage rate while keeping schools funded through reliance on a one-cent sales tax and growth in the tax base itself. That approach helps keep school property taxes lower for new homeowners moving into the area's growing housing market. The district is investing in facility improvements through a sales tax referendum on school construction, repairs, buses, and safety upgrades.

Hinesville itself is a mixed-character military town, young and car-oriented, with a compact historic downtown anchored by Bryant Commons, a new park that opened recently. Fort Stewart employment and military-family presence shape the community's character. The housing market is appreciating, with home values in the mid-range for the region and rents rising. Most of the town's employment is centered on the base and its contractors, along with healthcare, retail, and government jobs.

A parent considering Joseph Martin should understand that the school is serving a student body with significant academic gaps relative to state standards, and the current proficiency data show work ahead. The school operates within a district managing growth and investing deliberately in capital infrastructure. The Hinesville setting offers proximity to a major employment base and a young, transient population typical of military towns.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 342%

School 42% · District 38% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 38% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 31% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 26% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 32% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median

Grade 535%

School 35% · District 34% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Science

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 36% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median

Social studies

Grades 3-884%

School 84% · district not reported

even with state median

This schoolLiberty 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-income27%Higher-income29%2 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income22%Higher-income23%0 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income57%22 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income28%Higher-income38%10 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income29%Higher-income46%17 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income48%21 pp gap

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

Grades 3-8Lower-income26%Higher-income44%18 pp gap