The top reported proficiency rate is 92% in Social studies. The lowest is 36% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Big a Elementary School
Big A Elementary School is a small early-childhood school serving pre-K and kindergarten students in Eastanollee, a quiet, rural community in northeast Georgia. The school sits on a country road in an unincorporated area about five miles from Toccoa, the county seat, with a built environment oriented toward car travel rather than walking.
The enrollment is modest, roughly evenly split between pre-K and kindergarten, though substantially more kindergarten students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the surrounding rural area. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of black students and a small multiracial population; Asian and Hispanic enrollment is minimal. Detailed data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
State testing results are available only for grades three through eight, so Big A's own third- and fourth-grade cohort when they took the Georgia Milestones assessment is the relevant reference point. When that cohort was tested in 2015, proficiency rates across the school were below the state midpoint: around four in ten students met proficiency in math, roughly three in five in English language arts, and a bit less than four in ten in science. Social studies results from the prior year were notably stronger. These results are now more than a decade old, and assessment systems and cut scores have changed, so they do not directly predict current performance. A parent may want to look into the school's current proficiency data and growth trajectory with the school directly.
The Stephens County School District, Big A's parent district, approved a new K-5 reading curriculum in 2024 centered on structured literacy and the science of reading, with full rollout beginning in the 2025-26 school year. The district added literacy specialists to each elementary school to support implementation and required all K-5 teachers to receive professional development in reading science. For families with young children, this signals a district-wide instructional shift toward evidence-based reading practices. That same year, voters approved continued funding for capital projects through an existing one-cent sales tax, avoiding a property tax increase while supporting facility upgrades and equipment.
The community itself offers limited walkability or downtown street life; Eastanollee is a collection of rural residences, small agricultural operations, and light industry along country roads. The nearest civic anchor is Toccoa. Within Eastanollee, the school district operates a cannery for agricultural education on Eastanollee School Road, and the post office, a Baptist church, and extension services are the main gathering points. Housing prices in the area are below state average and remain relatively affordable, with steady small-scale residential construction among rural lots. Population in the immediate ZIP is essentially flat to slightly declining.
Big A serves a rural, economically modest community where most families are rooted and car-dependent. The school offers a foundational early-childhood program in a setting with stable but not growing enrollment.
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