Hephzibah Elementary School

Summary:

Hephzibah Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Hephzibah, Georgia, with 375 students. The school is part of the Richmond County School District, which is ranked 176 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Hephzibah Elementary has consistently been ranked in the bottom quarter of Georgia elementary schools, ranking between 914 and 1240 out of around 1,200-1,250 schools over the past 10 years, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hephzibah Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the Richmond County and Georgia state averages on the Milestones Assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in 2023-2024, only 15.8% of 3rd graders, 17% of 4th graders, and 13.5% of 5th graders at Hephzibah Elementary were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 20.6%, 16.9%, and 26.9% for Richmond County, and 38.4%, 37%, and 48.2% for the state. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at around 98% in recent years, significantly higher than the state average.

While Hephzibah Elementary underperforms compared to the state, it is not the lowest-performing school in the immediate area. Nearby schools like Meadowbrook Elementary, Richmond Hill K-8, and Diamond Lakes Elementary also struggle with low academic achievement and high poverty rates. The relatively low student-teacher ratio at Hephzibah Elementary could present an opportunity for more personalized, targeted interventions to support struggling students, but the school's consistent underperformance indicates that additional resources and support may be needed to make a significant impact.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2542 Ga Highway 88
Hephzibah, GA 30815

(706) 592-4561

District: Richmond County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1212^th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,086

Students who attend Hephzibah Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Hephzibah Middle School
High:	Hephzibah High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.1

Number of students: 562

Racial breakdown:

African American:

64.4%

White:

23.3%

Two or more races:

6.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 91.8%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Hephzibah Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hephzibah Elementary School ranks worse than 97.1% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 22^nd among 27 ranked elementary schools in the Richmond County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.7. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (64.4%), White (23.3%), two or more races (6.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 91.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hephzibah Elementary School is 11.1, which is the 3^rd best among 27 elementary schools in the Richmond County School District. (See more...)

Compare Hephzibah Elementary School employs 50.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hephzibah Elementary School is $10,086, which is the 7^th highest among 27 elementary schools in the Richmond County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Richmond County:

SchoolDigger ranks Richmond County 176^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Hephzibah Elementary School.

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Rank History for Hephzibah Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	29.38	869^th	1101	21.1%
2007	36.99	810^th	1125	28.0%
2008	36.08	807^th	1134	28.8%
2009	27.28	923^rd	1133	18.5%
2010	42.15	794^th	1183	32.9%
2011	40.27	838^th	1212	30.9%
2012	36.41	890^th	1201	25.9%
2013	34.74	930^th	1225	24.1%
2014	28.39	989^th	1231	19.7%
2015	27.29	911^th	1240	26.5%
2016	24.14	928^th	1233	24.7%
2017	17.40	1015^th	1205	15.8%
2018	24.10	914^th	1209	24.4%
2019	20.52	989^th	1234	19.9%
2021	20.98	943^rd	1214	22.3%
2022	24.72	922^nd	1244	25.9%
2023	18.93	1022^nd	1242	17.7%
2024	8.70	1212^th	1248	2.9%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, March 21, 2017

The teachers arw great but administration does not handle bullying. They only suspend students 1-3 days for assaulting other students and staff. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hephzibah Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	596	596
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	638	638
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	632	632
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	656	656
1994	333	64	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	399
1995	311	73	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	388
1996	311	73	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	388
1997	324	76	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	406
1998	360	128	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	496
1999	339	139	3	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	488
2000	350	140	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	498
2001	301	153	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	460
2002	306	159	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	470
2003	306	159	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	470
2004	308	154	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	469
2005	295	182	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	7	494
2006	272	185	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	11	478
2007	283	170	1	7	1	n/a	n/a	12	474
2008	281	163	3	16	1	n/a	n/a	14	478
2009	281	171	1	12	0	n/a	n/a	17	482
2010	264	151	3	13	1	0	20	0	452
2011	247	149	0	16	1	0	21	0	434
2012	267	166	1	17	1	2	14	0	468
2013	280	186	2	17	0	2	20	0	507
2014	270	163	2	23	1	1	22	0	482
2015	262	160	2	20	0	4	22	0	470
2016	191	159	2	12	2	1	17	0	384
2017	183	172	0	22	1	2	19	0	399
2018	159	198	0	19	1	1	13	0	391
2019	160	185	0	28	0	0	17	0	390
2020	156	187	0	29	0	0	17	0	389
2021	138	167	0	14	0	0	21	0	340
2022	138	190	0	13	0	0	22	0	363
2023	139	196	0	18	0	1	21	0	375
2024	131	362	0	25	3	4	37	0	562

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 Hephzibah Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	596	31.0	19.2	26.3
1991	638	33.0	19.3	26.5
1992	632	32.0	19.7	32.6
1993	656	30.0	21.9	32.6
1994	399	22.8	17.5	44.1
1995	388	19.0	20.4	48.2
1996	388	19.0	20.4	48.2
1997	406	20.0	20.3	57.6
1998	496	23.0	21.6	64.9
1999	488	26.1	18.7	73.4
2000	498	26.0	19.2	73.3
2001	460	27.0	17.0	62
2002	470	24.2	19.4	59.8
2003	470	24.2	19.4	59.8
2004	469	28.7	16.3	57.1
2005	494	32.7	15.1	65.9
2006	478	29.0	16.5	65.7
2007	474	30.0	15.8	66
2008	478	31.0	15.4	68.8
2009	482	32.0	15.1	65.8
2010	452	30.0	15.0	68.6
2011	434	29.0	14.9	64.5
2012	468	29.0	16.1	67.7
2013	507	27.0	18.7	72.2
2014	482	29.0	16.6	96.9
2015	470	27.0	17.4	96.6
2016	384	27.0	14.2	96.9
2017	399	28.0	14.2	96.7
2018	391	25.8	15.1	96.4
2019	390	21.5	18.1	96.4
2020	389	29.0	13.4	97.9
2021	340	28.9	11.7	97.9
2022	363	28.1	12.9	n/a
2023	375	31.0	12.0	97.9
2024	562	50.2	11.1	91.8

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 Hephzibah Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	596	31.0	19.2	26.3
1991	638	33.0	19.3	26.5
1992	632	32.0	19.7	32.6
1993	656	30.0	21.9	32.6
1994	399	22.8	17.5	44.1
1995	388	19.0	20.4	48.2
1996	388	19.0	20.4	48.2
1997	406	20.0	20.3	57.6
1998	496	23.0	21.6	64.9
1999	488	26.1	18.7	73.4
2000	498	26.0	19.2	73.3
2001	460	27.0	17.0	62
2002	470	24.2	19.4	59.8
2003	470	24.2	19.4	59.8
2004	469	28.7	16.3	57.1
2005	494	32.7	15.1	65.9
2006	478	29.0	16.5	65.7
2007	474	30.0	15.8	66
2008	478	31.0	15.4	68.8
2009	482	32.0	15.1	65.8
2010	452	30.0	15.0	68.6
2011	434	29.0	14.9	64.5
2012	468	29.0	16.1	67.7
2013	507	27.0	18.7	72.2
2014	482	29.0	16.6	96.9
2015	470	27.0	17.4	96.6
2016	384	27.0	14.2	96.9
2017	399	28.0	14.2	96.7
2018	391	25.8	15.1	96.4
2019	390	21.5	18.1	96.4
2020	389	29.0	13.4	97.9
2021	340	28.9	11.7	97.9
2022	363	28.1	12.9	n/a
2023	375	31.0	12.0	97.9
2024	562	50.2	11.1	91.8

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 Hephzibah Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$835 (8.5%)	$9,016 (91.5%)	$9,851
2018	$811 (7.9%)	$9,430 (92.1%)	$10,241
2019	$915 (9.1%)	$9,171 (90.9%)	$10,086

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hephzibah 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 989^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 1022^nd of 1242 Elementary schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hephzibah Elementary School)	15.9	8.6	7.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Richmond County)	21.3	19.6	1.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hephzibah Elementary School)	22.7	20.7	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Richmond County)	26.4	21.8	4.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hephzibah Elementary School)	20	18.4	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Richmond County)	21.9	14.8	7.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hephzibah Elementary School)	40	16.3	23.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Richmond County)	28	18.6	9.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hephzibah Elementary School)	35.5	32.7	2.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Richmond County)	27.1	21.6	5.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hephzibah Elementary School)	14.3	14.3
5th Grade Mathematics (Richmond County)	24.9	11.6	13.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Hephzibah Elementary School)	27.4	26.5	0.9%
5th Grade Science (Richmond County)	21.1	17.8	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	390	375	3.8%
African American	185	196	5.9%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	28	18	35.7%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	160	139	13.1%
Two or More Races	17	21	23.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	96.4%	97.9%	1.5%

Schools Near Hephzibah Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2024)	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)						Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)						Milestones Assessment Science (2024)		Milestones Assessment Social Studies (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 Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hephzibah Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2542 Ga Highway 88	Hephzibah	30815	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 592-4561	562	50	11.1	91.8%	131 (23.3%)	362 (64.4%)	25 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.7%)	37 (6.6%)	8.7	1212^th of 1248 public elementary schools	2.9%		18.9	1022^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	17.7%	190		15.8	17.0	13.5				10.5	16.0	1.4				8.1			$10,086	$915	$9,171
Deer Chase Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1780 Deer Chase Ln	Hephzibah	30815	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 772-6240	616	39	15.6	84.9%	8 (1.3%)	556 (90.3%)	25 (4.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	22 (3.6%)	13.6	1126^th of 1248 public elementary schools	9.8%		14.6	1096^th of 1242 public elementary schools	11.8%	30		19.1	12.6	23.7				22.5	8.7	12.9				24.7			$9,679	$868	$8,811
Diamond Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4153 Windsor Spring Rd	Hephzibah	30815	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 771-2881	544	38	14.4	82.5%	37 (6.8%)	447 (82.2%)	31 (5.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.0%)	8.6	1213^th of 1248 public elementary schools	2.8%		10.8	1164^th of 1242 public elementary schools	6.3%	49		13.7	7.5	21.4				16.4	13.8	11.4				7.2			$9,624	$826	$8,798
Tobacco Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2397 Tobacco Rd	Augusta	30906	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 796-4658	431	36	12.0	87.5%	23 (5.3%)	372 (86.3%)	15 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	19 (4.4%)	14.7	1103^rd of 1248 public elementary schools	11.6%		17.9	1049^th of 1242 public elementary schools	15.5%	54		10.2	8.9	25.0				12.2	19.6	5.9				35.3			$9,595	$1,024	$8,571
Jamestown Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3637 Hiers Blvd	Hephzibah	30815	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 796-4760	387	32	11.9	100.0%	11 (2.8%)	336 (86.8%)	20 (5.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.7%)	9.8	1194^th of 1248 public elementary schools	4.3%		9.9	1188^th of 1242 public elementary schools	4.3%	6		11.1	12.1	13.0				28.9	19.7	1.9				7.4			$11,016	$856	$10,159
Goshen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4040 Old Waynesboro Rd	Augusta	30906	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 796-4646	450	36	12.4	73.1%	143 (31.8%)	239 (53.1%)	24 (5.3%)	6 (1.3%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	31 (6.9%)	19.4	1014^th of 1248 public elementary schools	18.8%		20	1010^th of 1242 public elementary schools	18.7%	4		32.3	25.0	23.9				33.8	25.0	8.0				6.8			$9,267	$833	$8,433
Gracewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2032 Tobacco Rd	Augusta	30906	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 796-4969	441	35	12.6	100.0%	98 (22.2%)	302 (68.5%)	19 (4.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.5%)	11.3	1167^th of 1248 public elementary schools	6.5%		12.6	1132^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	8.9%	35		17.9	17.1	20.8				17.9	12.9	11.1				13.9			$8,041	$804	$7,237
Blythe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	290 Church St	Blythe	30805	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 592-4090	328	27	12.1	91.8%	145 (44.2%)	117 (35.7%)	34 (10.4%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.8%)	29.5	863^rd of 1248 public elementary schools	30.8%		31.3	815^th of 1242 public elementary schools	34.4%	48		34.2	18.4	38.8				34.2	34.7	22.4				24.5			$11,699	$916	$10,783
Meadowbrook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3630 Goldfinch Dr	Augusta	30906	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 796-4915	467	35	13.4	100.0%	9 (1.9%)	434 (92.9%)	11 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	8.1	1221^st of 1248 public elementary schools	2.2%		7.1	1221^st of 1242 public elementary schools	1.7%			7.2	11.8	20.5				14.5	16.2	7.2				9.6			$9,563	$1,200	$8,364
Freedom Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	345 42nd St Bldg 43400	Fort Gordon	30905	Richmond County	Richmond County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 796-8428	559	54	10.4	52.8%	186 (33.3%)	171 (30.6%)	114 (20.4%)	14 (2.5%)	2 (0.4%)	7 (1.3%)	65 (11.6%)	74.9	284^th of 1248 public elementary schools	77.2%		62.3	423^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	65.9%	139	55.6	47.1	37.3	66.7	73.3	41.1	44.7	43.1	49.3	66.7	46.7	30.4	37.8	63.5	37.8	40.5	$9,080	$514	$8,566

Frequently Asked Questions about Hephzibah Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Hephzibah Elementary School?

Students at Hephzibah Elementary School are 64% African American, 23% White, 7% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

How many students attend Hephzibah Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 562 students attended Hephzibah Elementary School.

Is Hephzibah Elementary School a good school?

Hephzibah Elementary School ranks in the bottom 2.9% of Georgia elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Hephzibah Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Hephzibah Middle School
High : Hephzibah High School

What district is Hephzibah Elementary School in?

Richmond County

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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.