Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

Q: Is Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy a good school?

Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy ranks 661 st of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy is a public elementary school in Columbus, Georgia, serving 325 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Muscogee County School District.

Despite having a very high percentage of students from low-income families, ranging from 96.54% to 96.62% over the past few years, Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy consistently outperforms the Muscogee County and Georgia state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics on the Milestones Assessments. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 47.2% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 37.3% in Muscogee County and 48.2% statewide. The school also has a higher per-student spending of $12,500 in the 2018-2019 school year, compared to $9,826 to $12,635 for the nearby Rigdon Road Elementary, River Road Elementary, and Brewer Elementary schools.

The higher per-student spending and lower student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12:1 to 14.7:1, may contribute to Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy's stronger academic performance. As a magnet school, it may also attract a more engaged and motivated student population, further enhancing its success. The nearby schools have significantly lower test scores and higher percentages of students from low-income families, highlighting the disparities within the Muscogee County School District.

Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

1400 1st Ave
Columbus, GA 31901

(706) 748-2702

District: Muscogee County

SchoolDigger Rank:
661^st of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,500

Students who attend Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy usually attend:

Middle:	Eddy Middle School
High:	Jordan Vocational High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.3

Number of students: 347

Racial breakdown:

African American:

75.2%

Hispanic:

10.7%

Two or more races:

7.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy ranks worse than 53% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 8^th among 32 ranked elementary schools in the Muscogee County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.09. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (75.2%), Hispanic (10.7%), two or more races (7.5%). (See more...)

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

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy is 13.3, which is the 9^th best among 32 elementary schools in the Muscogee County School District. (See more...)

Compare Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy employs 26 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy is $12,500, which is the 2^nd highest among 32 elementary schools in the Muscogee County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Muscogee County:

SchoolDigger ranks Muscogee County 155^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy.

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Rank History for Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	24.09	925^th	1101	16.0%
2007	33.38	852^nd	1125	24.3%
2008	44.42	717^th	1134	36.8%
2009	45.19	712^th	1133	37.2%
2010	40.34	817^th	1183	30.9%
2011	28.51	981^st	1212	19.1%
2012	25.00	990^th	1201	17.6%
2013	32.61	950^th	1225	22.4%
2014	26.03	1010^th	1231	18.0%
2015	26.60	922^nd	1240	25.6%
2016	47.03	610^th	1233	50.5%
2017	41.06	685^th	1205	43.2%
2018	46.60	607^th	1209	49.8%
2019	34.10	804^th	1234	34.8%
2021	22.52	916^th	1214	24.5%
2022	35.01	775^th	1244	37.7%
2023	39.41	696^th	1242	44.0%
2024	42.09	661^st	1248	47.0%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.7)

67%

33%

Reviews:

by a principal
Sunday, February 4, 2024

Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy is an exceptional school for families looking for a positive school climate. The faculty and staff are friendly, resourceful, family-oriented, and challenge students academically to make academic gains. The school is an engineering magnet. Students have a variety of opportunities to participate in STEAM integrated activities to include after school programs and clubs. Interested families should reach out to the school for details about the magnet program. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, October 24, 2017

I don't know who rated this school but let me tell you what i've seen after traveling all over the world with the military...These are some of the best teachers & educators who are willing to go above and beyond for these kids. My daughters teacher made poodle skirts for their 50th day of school and celebrated the 50"s. they were amazing made out of felt. No one in all the years that i've had children in school. Ms. Heath is so talented as a teacher. Love Love Love the teaching ability of this school. They are strict but this is what it takes to have children excel. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, July 29, 2016

Great School! My children and I have had an awesome experience with everyone at Downtown Elementary. Great place to learn!!!!! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	100	373	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	476
1996	100	373	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	476
1997	134	454	2	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	595
1998	123	405	1	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	538
1999	90	389	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	488
2000	97	405	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	508
2001	86	377	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	473
2002	90	366	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	466
2003	90	366	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	466
2004	81	348	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	437
2005	55	339	2	10	0	n/a	n/a	18	424
2006	60	379	3	12	0	n/a	n/a	27	481
2007	51	425	4	10	0	n/a	n/a	26	516
2008	39	452	6	8	2	n/a	n/a	30	537
2009	40	456	5	10	1	n/a	n/a	37	549
2010	34	463	6	0	1	0	47	0	551
2011	27	468	8	24	1	0	18	0	546
2012	24	462	7	25	1	0	17	0	536
2013	26	473	4	31	0	0	16	0	550
2014	22	466	6	28	0	0	19	0	541
2015	22	417	3	32	0	0	12	0	486
2016	15	233	4	33	0	0	9	0	294
2017	20	270	3	26	0	0	11	0	330
2018	24	238	1	24	0	0	15	0	302
2019	16	267	1	24	0	0	13	0	321
2020	20	253	0	20	0	1	12	0	306
2021	19	234	0	18	0	0	18	0	289
2022	19	250	1	20	0	0	18	0	308
2023	21	258	3	22	0	0	21	0	325
2024	21	261	1	37	1	0	26	0	347

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 Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	476	27.0	17.6	85.7
1996	476	27.0	17.6	85.7
1997	595	35.3	16.9	80
1998	538	38.9	13.8	92.9
1999	488	39.5	12.4	84.8
2000	508	36.0	14.1	86.4
2001	473	36.0	13.1	89.2
2002	466	32.6	14.3	81.1
2003	466	32.6	14.3	81.1
2004	437	32.1	13.6	82.6
2005	424	32.3	13.1	88.2
2006	481	35.0	13.7	87.7
2007	516	36.5	14.1	88.2
2008	537	38.0	14.1	94.9
2009	549	39.9	13.8	92.4
2010	551	38.3	14.3	82
2011	546	36.8	14.8	84.8
2012	536	38.5	13.9	87.5
2013	550	36.3	15.1	92
2014	541	34.5	15.6	99.4
2015	486	28.0	17.3	100
2016	294	20.0	14.7	99
2017	330	23.0	14.3	100
2018	302	21.5	14.0	94.4
2019	321	23.0	13.9	94.4
2020	306	21.0	14.5	91.8
2021	289	24.0	12.0	96.5
2022	308	23.2	13.2	n/a
2023	325	22.0	14.7	96.6
2024	347	26.0	13.3	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 Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	476	27.0	17.6	85.7
1996	476	27.0	17.6	85.7
1997	595	35.3	16.9	80
1998	538	38.9	13.8	92.9
1999	488	39.5	12.4	84.8
2000	508	36.0	14.1	86.4
2001	473	36.0	13.1	89.2
2002	466	32.6	14.3	81.1
2003	466	32.6	14.3	81.1
2004	437	32.1	13.6	82.6
2005	424	32.3	13.1	88.2
2006	481	35.0	13.7	87.7
2007	516	36.5	14.1	88.2
2008	537	38.0	14.1	94.9
2009	549	39.9	13.8	92.4
2010	551	38.3	14.3	82
2011	546	36.8	14.8	84.8
2012	536	38.5	13.9	87.5
2013	550	36.3	15.1	92
2014	541	34.5	15.6	99.4
2015	486	28.0	17.3	100
2016	294	20.0	14.7	99
2017	330	23.0	14.3	100
2018	302	21.5	14.0	94.4
2019	321	23.0	13.9	94.4
2020	306	21.0	14.5	91.8
2021	289	24.0	12.0	96.5
2022	308	23.2	13.2	n/a
2023	325	22.0	14.7	96.6
2024	347	26.0	13.3	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 Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$884 (8.9%)	$9,061 (91.1%)	$9,946
2018	$964 (8.1%)	$10,996 (91.9%)	$11,960
2019	$1,052 (8.4%)	$11,448 (91.6%)	$12,500

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

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 804^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 696^th of 1242 Elementary schools	9.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy)	22.2	25	2.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	34	26.6	7.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy)	27.8	28.1	0.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	37.6	28.7	8.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy)	28.8	11.6	17.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	30	27.3	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy)	34.6	11.6	23%
4th Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	32.2	29.5	2.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy)	45.7	51.6	5.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Muscogee County)	38.7	31.4	7.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy)	37	48.4	11.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Muscogee County)	29.2	21.2	8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy)	43.5	54.8	11.3%
5th Grade Science (Muscogee County)	35.1	29.2	5.9%
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	321	325	1.2%
African American	267	258	3.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	3	200%
Hispanic	24	22	8.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	16	21	31.3%
Two or More Races	13	21	61.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	94.4%	96.6%	2.2%

Schools Near Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

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
Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1400 1st Ave	Columbus	31901	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(706) 748-2702	347	26	13.3	100.0%	21 (6.1%)	261 (75.2%)	37 (10.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.5%)	42.1	661^st of 1248 public elementary schools	47.0%		39.4	696^th of 1242 public elementary schools	44.0%	35	36.8	30.6	47.2	36.8	30.6	30.6	38.9	$12,500	$1,052	$11,448
Hannan Elementary	Public	K-5	1338 Talbotton Rd	Columbus	31901	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2744	361	33	10.9	95.8%	46 (12.7%)	259 (71.7%)	31 (8.6%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.5%)	30	855^th of 1248 public elementary schools	31.5%		36.3	751^st of 1242 public elementary schools	39.5%	104	22.0	26.5	50.0	20.0	19.1	28.3	33.3	$11,152	$1,346	$9,806
Fox Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	600 38th St	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2723	350	24	14.5	100.0%	29 (8.3%)	266 (76.0%)	19 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.7%)	7.2	1228^th of 1248 public elementary schools	1.6%		5.9	1233^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	0.7%	5	17.1	4.3	20.0	14.3	6.4	4.1	10.2	$11,053	$974	$10,079
Davis Elementary School	Public	K-5	1822 Shepherd Dr	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2638	292	24	12.1	100.0%	13 (4.5%)	249 (85.3%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (8.2%)	9.8	1192^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	4.5%		7.3	1219^th of 1242 public elementary schools	1.9%	27	16.1	4.4	19.4	17.9	2.2	13.9	19.4	$10,967	$915	$10,051
Wynnton Elementary School	Public	K-5	2303 Wynnton Rd	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-3147	359	28	13.0	100.0%	51 (14.2%)	236 (65.7%)	38 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (8.9%)	30.9	835^th of 1248 public elementary schools	33.1%		28.2	868^th of 1242 public elementary schools	30.1%	33	32.7	31.1	39.0	20.4	23.0	30.5	28.8	$11,144	$925	$10,219
Johnson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3700 Woodlawn Ave	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2795	373	32	11.8	99.5%	117 (31.4%)	168 (45.0%)	41 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	45 (12.1%)	26.5	905^th of 1248 public elementary schools	27.5%		30	835^th of 1242 public elementary schools	32.8%	70	13.3	13.3	42.2	30.0	26.7	35.6	31.1	$12,635	$1,627	$11,009
Rigdon Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1320 Rigdon Rd	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 565-2989	428	31	13.9	100.0%	14 (3.3%)	346 (80.8%)	38 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.5%)	9.9	1189^th of 1248 public elementary schools	4.7%		15.9	1080^th of 1242 public elementary schools	13.0%	109	1.9	9.6	21.1	7.5	19.2	8.6	23.2	$10,569	$1,081	$9,488
River Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	516 Heath Dr	Columbus	31904	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-3072	435	32	13.5	97.5%	110 (25.3%)	115 (26.4%)	167 (38.4%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.7%)	17	1061^st of 1248 public elementary schools	15.0%		22.2	970^th of 1242 public elementary schools	21.9%	91	17.1	34.0	7.1	15.7	29.6	16.1	14.5	$10,951	$748	$10,204
Brewer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2951 Martin Luther King	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 748-2479	532	37	14.4	100.0%	29 (5.5%)	383 (72.0%)	95 (17.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.7%)	4.1	1248^th of 1248 public elementary schools	0.0%		5.5	1237^th of 1242 public elementary schools	0.4%	11	4.9	2.6	6.4	0.0	5.1	3.9	11.8	$9,826	$886	$8,941
Clubview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2836 Edgewood Rd	Columbus	31906	Muscogee County	Muscogee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 565-3017	579	38	15.4	47.8%	261 (45.1%)	176 (30.4%)	65 (11.2%)	12 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	63 (10.9%)	60.8	448^th of 1248 public elementary schools	64.1%		57	487^th of 1242 public elementary schools	60.8%	39	55.2	44.6	51.0	48.3	53.3	32.7	37.8	$9,689	$341	$9,348

Frequently Asked Questions about Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy

Is Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy a good school?

Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy ranks 661^st of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy in?

Muscogee County

What is the racial makeup of Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy?

Students at Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy are 75% African American, 11% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 6% White.

How many students attend Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 347 students attended Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy.

What schools do graduates of Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy attend?

Students who attend Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : Eddy Middle School
High : Jordan Vocational High 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.