Hilltop Elementary School

Summary:

Hilltop Elementary School is a public elementary school in Bonaire, Georgia, serving 600 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Houston County School District. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic assessments, ranking in the top 25% of Georgia elementary schools.

Hilltop Elementary's academic excellence is evident across grades 3-5, with students demonstrating significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to their peers in the district and state. For instance, in the 2023-2024 school year, Hilltop's 4th-grade students achieved 65.9% proficiency in ELA, compared to 45.9% for Houston County and 37% for Georgia. Similarly, Hilltop's 4th-graders had a 74.4% proficiency rate in Mathematics, outpacing the district's 55.6% and the state's 48.1%. This strong academic performance has earned Hilltop a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and a ranking in the top 24% of Georgia elementary schools.

Despite serving a population with a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students, as indicated by the school's free and reduced-price lunch rates ranging from 39.18% to 48.17%, Hilltop Elementary continues to excel. This achievement is particularly noteworthy when compared to nearby schools, such as Pearl Stephens Elementary, which had only 23.8% proficiency in 4th-grade ELA. Hilltop's success is even more impressive considering its relatively lower spending per student, ranging from $8,630 to $9,314 over the past three school years, suggesting efficient use of resources and effective teaching practices.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 301 Robert Bryson Smith Pkwy
       Bonaire, GA  31005


(478) 929-6113

District: Houston County

SchoolDigger Rank:
295th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,130 Help


Students who attend Hilltop Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Bonaire Middle School
High:    Veterans High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.5 Help
Number of students:  591

Racial breakdown:

White:
48.1%
African American:
27.9%
Two or more races:
11.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  59.7% Help


 See top rated Georgia elementary schools

 Compare Hilltop Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Hilltop Elementary School ranks better than 76.4% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 8th among 19 ranked elementary schools in the Houston County School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.03. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (48.1%), African American (27.9%), two or more races (11.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 59.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hilltop Elementary School is 14.5. 13 elementary schools in the Houston County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Hilltop Elementary School employs 40.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hilltop Elementary School is $9,130. 16 elementary schools in the Houston County School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Hilltop Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Houston County:

SchoolDigger ranks Houston County 53rd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Hilltop Elementary School?

Rank History for Hilltop Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools GA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 74.12 297th 1183 74.9%
2011 74.99 309th 1212 74.5%
2012 68.35 417th 1201 65.3%
2013 62.77 534th 1225 56.4%
2014 63.43 529th 1231 57.0%
2015 71.93 292nd 1240 76.5%
2016 72.64 293rd 1233 76.2%
2017 71.88 295th 1205 75.5%
2018 70.86 319th 1209 73.6%
2019 72.66 297th 1234 75.9%
2021 85.64 158th 1214 87.0%
2022 85.33 181st 1244 85.5%
2023 78.14 250th 1242 79.9%
2024 74.03 295th 1248 76.4%
See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Hilltop Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Sunday, August 21, 2011

Open Quote This place is a joke. They only teach what is on the CRCT and that is IT!!!! That is why the school ranks so high for ratings and why they say Houston County has some of the best schools. Teach them things they will need for this age. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Hilltop Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2008 402 117 9 18 0 n/a n/a 22 568
2009 393 118 12 13 2 n/a n/a 26 564
2010 390 128 12 32 2 0 27 0 591
2011 406 140 12 32 2 0 34 0 626
2012 389 131 7 39 2 1 32 0 601
2013 398 143 4 39 2 1 38 0 625
2014 407 145 11 35 1 1 40 0 640
2015 397 131 7 41 1 3 44 0 624
2016 414 137 7 49 2 4 40 0 653
2017 402 137 7 53 1 2 33 0 635
2018 405 142 5 56 1 1 50 0 660
2019 420 158 4 55 1 1 56 0 695
2020 394 153 4 49 1 1 60 0 662
2021 322 140 3 47 1 2 49 0 564
2022 306 154 3 51 0 2 53 0 569
2023 304 162 4 62 2 1 65 0 600
2024 284 165 6 66 1 0 69 0 591

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hilltop Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 568 39.0 14.6 33
2009 564 39.0 14.5 37.2
2010 591 39.0 15.1 37.6
2011 626 40.3 15.5 41.7
2012 601 42.0 14.3 40.4
2013 625 42.1 14.8 42.4
2014 640 40.3 15.8 39.2
2015 624 42.0 14.8 41
2016 653 42.0 15.5 45.2
2017 635 41.0 15.4 45.5
2018 660 42.0 15.7 46.4
2019 695 41.0 16.9 45.3
2020 662 40.0 16.5 40.5
2021 564 40.7 13.8 39.2
2022 569 39.6 14.3 n/a
2023 600 40.0 15.0 48.2
2024 591 40.5 14.5 59.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Hilltop Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 568 39.0 14.6 33
2009 564 39.0 14.5 37.2
2010 591 39.0 15.1 37.6
2011 626 40.3 15.5 41.7
2012 601 42.0 14.3 40.4
2013 625 42.1 14.8 42.4
2014 640 40.3 15.8 39.2
2015 624 42.0 14.8 41
2016 653 42.0 15.5 45.2
2017 635 41.0 15.4 45.5
2018 660 42.0 15.7 46.4
2019 695 41.0 16.9 45.3
2020 662 40.0 16.5 40.5
2021 564 40.7 13.8 39.2
2022 569 39.6 14.3 n/a
2023 600 40.0 15.0 48.2
2024 591 40.5 14.5 59.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hilltop Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017 $280 (3.2%) $8,350 (96.8%) $8,630
2018 $723 (7.8%) $8,591 (92.2%) $9,314
2019 $449 (4.9%) $8,681 (95.1%) $9,130

Data source: Georgia Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hilltop Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 297th of 1234 Elementary schoolsRanks 250th of 1242 Elementary schools
 3.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hilltop Elementary School)54.162.4
 8.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Houston County)47.644.9
 2.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4238.6
 3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hilltop Elementary School)53.263.5
 10.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Houston County)55.150.5
 4.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)5245.6
 6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hilltop Elementary School)57.441
 16.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Houston County)48.745.1
 3.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4236.1
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hilltop Elementary School)53.248
 5.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Houston County)54.655.6
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4945.7
 3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hilltop Elementary School)54.658.5
 3.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Houston County)49.747.1
 2.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4541.6
 3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hilltop Elementary School)54.649.1
 5.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Houston County)45.343.7
 1.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4137.4
 3.6%
5th Grade Science (Hilltop Elementary School)52.359.4
 7.1%
   5th Grade Science (Houston County)47.643.7
 3.9%
   5th Grade Science (Georgia)4340
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students695600
 13.7%
African American158162
 2.5%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian44
Hispanic5562
 12.7%
Pacific Islander11
White420304
 27.6%
Two or More Races5665
 16.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients45.3%48.2%
 2.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Hilltop Elementary School

Hilltop Elementary School ranks 295th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Hilltop Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bonaire Middle School
High : Veterans High School

Students at Hilltop Elementary School are 48% White, 28% African American, 12% Two or more races, 11% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 591 students attended Hilltop Elementary School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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