Schools in Nelson · Cherokee County School District, Pickens County School District
Nelson’s public schools beat 84% of Georgia districts
The public schools Nelson’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 84% of Georgia’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
78%beats similar-income towns
Reading proficiency
48%
▲ 10 pts vs GA 39%
2020–21
Math proficiency
46%
▲ 11 pts vs GA 35%
2020–21
Graduate on time
90%
▲ 5 pts vs GA 85%
class of 2020
Spent per student
$14.8K
▼ 7% vs GA $15.8K
FY2024
Schools
1
The School Grade
How Nelson compares
A Test scoresC+ Graduation
Georgia school districts we grade (214)Better than 84%
Lower resultsHigher results
Georgia towns with similar household incomes (181)Better than 78%
High confidence. Built on 21,079 tested students and a graduating class of 3,271; ordinary year-to-year swings are unlikely to change the grade.
How the School Grade works
- Results, not inputs. Math and reading proficiency on Georgia’s state tests against the state average, plus the four-year graduation rate. Spending and class size are shown but don’t count. Tests: 2020–21; graduation: class of 2020.
- The whole path. A town’s grade follows its kids through every district that serves it, weighted by students tested. Tests count 60%, graduation 40%.
- Graded within the state. Each state writes its own tests, so districts are compared with the rest of Georgia only. A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D the rest.
- What a grade can’t tell you. Test results track family income, so we also compare towns with similar incomes. Visit, ask other parents, and read neighbor reviews. It’s our own summary of U.S. Department of Education data, not an official rating.
Where will my kid go?
Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Nelson (some depend on your address).
26 schools teach Pre-K in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Little River Elem., Woodstock Elementary School, William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School and Clark Creek Elementary School and more.
26 schools teach K in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Little River Elem., Woodstock Elementary School, William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School and Clark Creek Elementary School and more.
26 schools teach 1st grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Little River Elem., Woodstock Elementary School, William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School and Clark Creek Elementary School and more.
26 schools teach 2nd grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Little River Elem., Woodstock Elementary School, William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School and Clark Creek Elementary School and more.
26 schools teach 3rd grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Little River Elem., Woodstock Elementary School, William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School and Clark Creek Elementary School and more.
26 schools teach 4th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Little River Elem., Woodstock Elementary School, William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School and Clark Creek Elementary School and more.
24 schools teach 5th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Little River Elem., Woodstock Elementary School, William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School and Clark Creek Elementary School and more.
8 schools teach 6th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: E. T. Booth Middle School, Teasley Middle School, Dean Rusk Middle School and Creekland Middle School and more.
8 schools teach 7th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: E. T. Booth Middle School, Teasley Middle School, Dean Rusk Middle School and Creekland Middle School and more.
8 schools teach 8th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: E. T. Booth Middle School, Teasley Middle School, Dean Rusk Middle School and Creekland Middle School and more.
7 schools teach 9th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Cherokee High School, Etowah High School, Creekview High School and Sequoyah High School and more.
7 schools teach 10th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Cherokee High School, Etowah High School, Creekview High School and Sequoyah High School and more.
7 schools teach 11th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Cherokee High School, Etowah High School, Creekview High School and Sequoyah High School and more.
7 schools teach 12th grade in Nelson’s district. Which one depends on your address: Cherokee High School, Etowah High School, Creekview High School and Sequoyah High School and more.
The path, start to finish
PK–526 elementary schoolsDepends on your address
6–88 middle schoolsDepends on your address
9–127 high schoolsDepends on your address
Two districts serve Nelson
Each district’s own page has its spending, test scores, enrollment and every school.
Cherokee County School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 37 schools · 42,031 students
$14,750GA $15,800
APickens County School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 6 schools · 3,970 students
$16,901GA $15,800
B+Test scores · 2020–21
Above the state in reading
Reading · PK–12, Cherokee County School District48%
State average 38.5%
Reading · PK–12, Pickens County School District35%
State average 38.5%
Math · PK–12, Cherokee County School District46%
State average 34.8%
Math · PK–12, Pickens County School District35%
State average 34.8%
Every school in Nelson
1 school. Grades are based on state tests and graduation. Any other ratings are made by neighbors.
Also serving Nelson · in other towns
Little River Elem.
A1,232 students15:1Rate it →
Woodstock Elementary School
A−1,187 students14:1Rate it →
William G. Hasty- Sr. Elementary School
B−1,119 students11:1Rate it →
Clark Creek Elementary School
A−1,108 students13:1Rate it →
Avery Elementary School
A1,104 students14:1Rate it →
R. M. Moore Elementary School
B−1,042 students12:1Rate it →
Liberty Elementary School
A977 students14:1Rate it →
Carmel Elementary School
A−912 students12:1Rate it →
Bascomb Elementary School
A+911 students14:1Rate it →
J. Knox Elementary
A−909 students13:1Rate it →
Hickory Flat Elementary School
A890 students15:1Rate it →
Indian Knoll Elementary
A881 students14:1Rate it →
Private & other
Parents talk
What Nelson families are saying about school.
Parents weigh in
Live in Nelson? Is an A− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Start the conversation
Within reach
Colleges →Colleges near Nelson
There’s no college in Nelson, but 3 are within 30 miles. The closest is Reinhardt University in Waleska, 11.1 miles away.
Reinhardt UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waleska
11.1 mi1,021 students
University of North GeorgiaUniversity or college · Public · Dahlonega
24.4 mi14,894 students
Kennesaw State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Kennesaw State University
26.3 mi35,723 students
Straight-line distance from the center of Nelson. Degree-granting colleges with students on campus · College Scorecard · IPEDS.
School data: U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts, F-33 school finance). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within Georgia. Stars are from neighbors.