The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Social studies. The lowest is 16% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Charles Spencer Elementary School
Charles Spencer Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Tifton, Georgia, a small South Georgia city functioning as a regional hub for a multi-county area. The school sits in the Tift County School District, which operates eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and an alternative school across the county.
The school's recent state testing results show proficiency rates well below state averages across assessed subjects. In third through fifth grades, mathematics proficiency ranges across grades, with one grade showing particularly low performance. English language arts proficiency is similarly low across the tested grades. Science proficiency in fifth grade is the strongest of the measured areas, though still modest. State testing data for earlier grades was not available; pre-kindergarten and kindergarten are not assessed by the state, and first and second grades do not take end-of-grade exams. One-year trend data only provides a snapshot and does not show whether these results represent recent decline, stability, or gradual change.
All students at Charles Spencer Elementary qualify for free and reduced-price lunch, reflecting that the school serves a community with substantial economic need. The student body is diverse: roughly half are Black, roughly a third are white, and roughly a sixth are Hispanic, with a small number of students from other backgrounds. The school enrollment is small, typical for an elementary school in a rural or small-town district.
Tifton itself is a preserved historic city with a walkable downtown anchored by restored storefronts, restaurants, and the Tift Theatre, recognized as a Georgia Exceptional Main Street community. Civic life centers on Fulwood Park, the public library, and two major annual festivals. Healthcare, education, agriculture, and distribution are the dominant employers, with Tift Regional Medical Center the largest single employer, and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the University of Georgia Tifton Campus, and Southern Regional Technical College all present in the area. Housing values in the Tifton area are below the state benchmark, making homeownership relatively affordable compared to other parts of Georgia.
The Tift County School District has undertaken a major facility investment: voters passed SPLOST VI, authorizing substantial sales tax revenue to fund a new high school building expected to open in 2027, with expanded career and technical education programs, fine arts, world languages, and improved athletic facilities. This represents a long-term commitment to high school infrastructure that families considering the area weigh when making relocation decisions.
Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, all students in Tift County Schools will receive meals at no charge, a district-wide policy change affecting household budgets. The district also lengthened the school day beginning in 2025-2026, starting earlier and ending later, affecting daily family schedules and transportation arrangements. Additionally, Tift County Schools opted out of Georgia's statewide homestead exemption, preserving the district's local property tax base but meaning Tift homeowners do not receive the state's cap on annual assessed-value increases, a direct consideration for any family buying property in the district. The Board of Education also reduced the property tax millage rate in 2025, below the rollback rate.
A parent or resident should look directly to the school and district about instructional approaches, tutoring and intervention resources, and specific plans for improving proficiency in core subjects, given the current performance levels. The school serves a community with significant needs and limited household resources, and understanding what targeted support and enrichment the school offers would help families make an informed decision.
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