Norris Elementary School

Q: Is Norris Elementary School a good school?

Norris Elementary School ranks 800 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Norris Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Thomson, Georgia, serving grades 4-5 with a total enrollment of 304 students. The school is part of the McDuffie County School District, which is ranked 129 out of 203 districts in Georgia and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Norris Elementary School consistently underperforms compared to the state and county averages on the Milestones Assessment, with only 17.7% of 4th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 23% for the county and 37% for the state. The school has a low statewide ranking, consistently ranking in the bottom half of Georgia elementary schools, and has been rated 1 or 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger for the past several years, indicating below-average performance. Additionally, Norris Elementary has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 93.3% to 93.75% in recent years, suggesting a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students. The school also has relatively low spending per student, ranging from $7,541 to $8,601, which is lower than the nearby Dearing Elementary School and the higher-performing schools in the Columbia County district.

When comparing Norris Elementary School to other nearby schools in the same district, such as Dearing Elementary and Maxwell Elementary, Norris consistently underperforms on test scores and has a lower school ranking. This suggests that the challenges faced by Norris Elementary may be specific to the school rather than the broader district. Furthermore, analyzing the data for schools in the neighboring Columbia County district, such as Lewiston Elementary, Cedar Ridge Elementary, and North Columbia Elementary, reveals a stark contrast in academic performance, with these schools consistently outperforming Norris Elementary and the broader McDuffie County district.

Detail:

Public 4-5

1861 Harrison Rd SE
Thomson, GA 30824

(706) 986-4600

District: McDuffie County

SchoolDigger Rank:
800^th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,601

Students who attend Norris Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Thomson-McDuffie Middle School
High:	Thomson High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9

Number of students: 288

Racial breakdown:

African American:

71.2%

White:

19.1%

Two or more races:

6.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Norris Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Norris Elementary School ranks worse than 64.1% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.75. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Norris Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the McDuffie County School District. Racial makeup is: African American (71.2%), White (19.1%), two or more races (6.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Norris Elementary School is 11.9, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the McDuffie County School District! (See more...)

Compare Norris Elementary School employs 24.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Norris Elementary School is $8,601, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the McDuffie County School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

McDuffie County:

SchoolDigger ranks McDuffie County 129^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Norris Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	41.36	739^th	1101	32.9%
2007	46.37	699^th	1125	37.9%
2008	51.75	621^st	1134	45.2%
2009	39.04	792^nd	1133	30.1%
2010	30.53	936^th	1183	20.9%
2013	39.96	872^nd	1225	28.8%
2014	51.99	712^th	1231	42.2%
2015	29.71	870^th	1240	29.8%
2016	23.05	951^st	1233	22.9%
2017	27.09	887^th	1205	26.4%
2018	20.20	973^rd	1209	19.5%
2019	27.86	887^th	1234	28.1%
2021	17.58	1005^th	1214	17.2%
2022	20.57	983^rd	1244	21.0%
2023	29.93	836^th	1242	32.7%
2024	32.75	800^th	1248	35.9%

See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Norris Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1994	251	276	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	527
1995	260	319	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1996	260	319	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1997	253	297	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	554
1998	277	377	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	662
1999	289	349	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	645
2000	318	362	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	686
2001	289	387	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	680
2002	213	321	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	542
2003	213	321	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	542
2004	201	294	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	506
2005	187	269	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	1	467
2006	186	254	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	6	454
2007	184	237	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	10	439
2008	195	257	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	13	474
2009	205	271	3	5	2	n/a	n/a	12	498
2010	209	329	3	9	1	0	2	0	553
2011	221	336	3	14	0	1	5	0	580
2012	211	279	4	6	1	2	6	0	509
2013	179	264	2	8	0	1	14	0	468
2014	153	259	3	6	0	0	12	0	433
2015	170	272	2	7	1	1	12	0	465
2016	162	305	1	6	0	1	15	0	490
2017	133	313	3	12	0	0	14	0	475
2018	110	320	4	12	0	0	13	0	459
2019	111	333	2	18	0	0	9	0	473
2020	105	303	0	14	0	1	11	0	434
2021	80	290	0	14	0	1	18	0	403
2022	73	248	0	9	0	2	15	0	347
2023	68	216	0	9	0	1	10	0	304
2024	55	205	2	7	0	0	19	0	288

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 Norris Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	527	29.3	18.0	51.2
1995	580	32.0	18.1	53.8
1996	580	32.0	18.1	53.8
1997	554	34.0	16.3	63.2
1998	662	39.8	16.6	63
1999	645	42.0	15.4	57.1
2000	686	42.0	16.3	60.1
2001	680	38.0	17.9	54.9
2002	542	30.0	18.1	78.4
2003	542	30.0	18.1	78.4
2004	506	28.0	18.1	71.3
2005	467	32.5	14.4	77.3
2006	454	33.5	13.6	79.7
2007	439	33.5	13.1	71.6
2008	474	33.0	14.4	70.1
2009	498	32.8	15.2	70.4
2010	553	35.9	15.4	74.9
2011	580	33.6	17.2	76.4
2012	509	34.5	14.7	75.2
2013	468	31.9	14.6	74.4
2014	433	28.2	15.3	79.2
2015	465	32.0	14.5	79.4
2016	490	30.0	16.3	82.4
2017	475	30.1	15.7	83.6
2018	459	29.1	15.7	87.6
2019	473	32.5	14.5	93.2
2020	434	28.1	15.4	93.3
2021	403	28.1	14.3	93.3
2022	347	26.1	13.2	n/a
2023	304	27.1	11.2	93.8
2024	288	24.1	11.9	100

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 Norris Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	527	29.3	18.0	51.2
1995	580	32.0	18.1	53.8
1996	580	32.0	18.1	53.8
1997	554	34.0	16.3	63.2
1998	662	39.8	16.6	63
1999	645	42.0	15.4	57.1
2000	686	42.0	16.3	60.1
2001	680	38.0	17.9	54.9
2002	542	30.0	18.1	78.4
2003	542	30.0	18.1	78.4
2004	506	28.0	18.1	71.3
2005	467	32.5	14.4	77.3
2006	454	33.5	13.6	79.7
2007	439	33.5	13.1	71.6
2008	474	33.0	14.4	70.1
2009	498	32.8	15.2	70.4
2010	553	35.9	15.4	74.9
2011	580	33.6	17.2	76.4
2012	509	34.5	14.7	75.2
2013	468	31.9	14.6	74.4
2014	433	28.2	15.3	79.2
2015	465	32.0	14.5	79.4
2016	490	30.0	16.3	82.4
2017	475	30.1	15.7	83.6
2018	459	29.1	15.7	87.6
2019	473	32.5	14.5	93.2
2020	434	28.1	15.4	93.3
2021	403	28.1	14.3	93.3
2022	347	26.1	13.2	n/a
2023	304	27.1	11.2	93.8
2024	288	24.1	11.9	100

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 Norris Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$845 (11.2%)	$6,696 (88.8%)	$7,541
2018	$1,037 (12.7%)	$7,111 (87.3%)	$8,148
2019	$1,137 (13.2%)	$7,463 (86.8%)	$8,601

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Norris 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 887^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 836^th of 1242 Elementary schools	4.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Norris Elementary School)	26.9	19.9	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (McDuffie County)	29.6	21.3	8.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Norris Elementary School)	30.3	39	8.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (McDuffie County)	36.5	37.2	0.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Norris Elementary School)	32.1	31.6	0.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (McDuffie County)	31.3	33.5	2.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Norris Elementary School)	32.3	23.2	9.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (McDuffie County)	30.7	34.9	4.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Norris Elementary School)	28.3	20	8.3%
5th Grade Science (McDuffie County)	27.6	24.3	3.3%
5th Grade Science (Georgia)	43	40	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	473	304	35.7%
African American	333	216	35.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	18	9	50%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	111	68	38.7%
Two or More Races	9	10	11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	93.2%	93.8%	0.5%

Schools Near Norris Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)			Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)			Milestones Assessment Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Norris Elementary School	Public	4-5	1861 Harrison Rd SE	Thomson	30824	McDuffie County	McDuffie County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 986-4600	288	24	11.9	100.0%	55 (19.1%)	205 (71.2%)	7 (2.4%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.6%)	32.7	800^th of 1248 public elementary schools	35.9%		29.9	836^th of 1242 public elementary schools	32.7%	36		17.7	44.7		32.0	25.7	35.5	$8,601	$1,137	$7,463
Thomson Elementary School	Public	2-3	409 Guill St	Thomson	30824	McDuffie County	McDuffie County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 986-4700	308	23	13.3	100.0%	70 (22.7%)	210 (68.2%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.8%)								(n/a)	35.7			42.1				$10,481	$1,524	$8,958
Maxwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	520 Mount Pleasant Rd	Thomson	30824	McDuffie County	McDuffie County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 986-4800	456	29	15.7	100.0%	93 (20.4%)	324 (71.1%)	13 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.7%)								(n/a)								$10,288	$1,285	$9,002
Dearing Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Main St N	Dearing	30808	McDuffie County	McDuffie County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 986-4900	422	34	12.4	79.9%	245 (58.1%)	100 (23.7%)	47 (11.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.9%)	54.2	516^th of 1248 public elementary schools	58.7%		51.3	536^th of 1242 public elementary schools	56.8%	20	43.5	35.5	40.4	51.6	48.4	49.1	28.1	$9,583	$871	$8,712
North Harlem Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	360 W Trippe St	Harlem	30814	Columbia County	Columbia County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 556-5995	899	59	15.1	58.2%	587 (65.3%)	137 (15.2%)	89 (9.9%)	7 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	75 (8.3%)	52.9	529^th of 1248 public elementary schools	57.6%		60.7	439^th of 1242 public elementary schools	64.7%	90	42.0	42.4	39.9	46.6	53.0	27.7	41.9	$9,800	$503	$9,297
Freeman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1253 Atlanta Hwy.	Warrenton	30828	Warren County	Warren County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 465-3342	317	33	9.7	100.0%	30 (9.5%)	276 (87.1%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	15.7	1089^th of 1248 public elementary schools	12.7%		9.9	1187^th of 1242 public elementary schools	4.4%	98	31.7	18.9	13.0	26.8	22.6	13.0	7.4	$11,454	$1,325	$10,129
North Columbia Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2874 Ray Owens Rd	Appling	30802	Columbia County	Columbia County	No	No	No	No	(706) 541-1158	472	36	13.1	35.0%	397 (84.1%)	29 (6.1%)	22 (4.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.7%)	96.5	45^th of 1248 public elementary schools	96.4%		95.5	66^th of 1242 public elementary schools	94.7%	21	72.2	77.8	81.8	79.7	86.1	71.4	70.1	$10,443	$94	$10,349
Euchee Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	795 Louisville Rd	Grovetown	30813	Columbia County	Columbia County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 556-4000	702	50	14.0	46.3%	324 (46.2%)	211 (30.1%)	105 (15.0%)	10 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (7.1%)	78.3	247^th of 1248 public elementary schools	80.2%		81.8	209^th of 1242 public elementary schools	83.2%	38	44.7	47.3	64.1	52.4	61.8	61.2	64.1	$9,292	$290	$9,002
Baker Place Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2011 Hero Way	Grovetown	30813	Columbia County	Columbia County	No	No	No	No	(706) 447-2115	948	62	15.3	39.7%	387 (40.8%)	333 (35.1%)	131 (13.8%)	14 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (8.6%)	91.6	115^th of 1248 public elementary schools	90.8%		87.8	150^th of 1242 public elementary schools	87.9%	35	64.4	70.2	68.0	67.8	83.6	62.7	64.1	$8,137	$93	$8,044
Cedar Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Trudeau Trl	Grovetown	30813	Columbia County	Columbia County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 447-2100	1,099	70	15.6	50.4%	363 (33.0%)	391 (35.6%)	197 (17.9%)	17 (1.5%)	3 (0.3%)	4 (0.4%)	124 (11.3%)	74.5	289^th of 1248 public elementary schools	76.8%		75.6	275^th of 1242 public elementary schools	77.9%	14	48.0	44.1	56.7	58.5	69.3	49.8	50.7	$7,922	$304	$7,618

Frequently Asked Questions about Norris Elementary School

How many students attend Norris Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 288 students attended Norris Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Norris Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Thomson-McDuffie Middle School
High : Thomson High School

Is Norris Elementary School a good school?

Norris Elementary School ranks 800^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Norris Elementary School in?

McDuffie County

What is the racial makeup of Norris Elementary School?

Students at Norris Elementary School are 71% African American, 19% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

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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.