If you’re relocating to Gwinnett County, GA with children, the quality of the education system is likely on the top of your list of priorities. Unfortunately, the state of Georgia is not known for providing a high-quality education or safety in schools. The public school system spends an average of $11,203 per student per year which is below the US average of $13,185 per student per year. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a school that provides a quality education.
Choosing the right school when you move to Gwinnett County can make a huge difference. There are many area schools that outperform the state averages and are highly ranked for their quality education, athletics, fine arts, and safety ratings.
When you’re looking for the best neighborhood for your family, you can help narrow down your choices of where to live based on the quality of the schools in the area. Take a look at the schools report card and whether or not the school and district have earned any awards to get a sense of their overall success. Then, when you’re ready to make your final decision, here are some additional factors to consider to determine whether the school will provide a good education and experience for your children:
- Test scores
- College readiness
- Teacher to student ratio
- School report card
- Availability of AP courses
- Availability of progres for gifted students
- Quality of the special education program
- Extracurricular activity opportunities
Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is the public school district serving residents in Gwinnett County, with the exception of residents inside the Buford city limits, who are served by the Buford City School District. GCPS is the largest district in the state and has 143 schools, including 21 high schools, 29 middle schools, 80 elementary schools, and 13 specialty schools.
This guide to the best schools in Gwinnett County covers highly rated, K-12 public schools plus the top private schools in the county.
Best High Schools in Gwinnett County
Some of Gwinnett County high schools are ranked among the best in the state and even ranked among the top schools in the country. Here are the best public schools in Gwinnett County. Don’t forget to check the school’s admission requirements as they may have unique criteria for student admission.
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology – #1 High School in Georgia
- Type – Public
- Grades – 9 -12
- Enrollment – 1,197, 84.9% minorities, 28% economically disadvantaged
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 16:1
- Address – 970 Mcelvaney Ln, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30044
- School District Report Card
Ranked as the number one high school in the state of Georgia every year since 2013, the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology gives students the opportunity to take advanced placement courses, with the AP participation rate at 100%! All qualified and eligible students for GSMST are entered into a lottery drawing for admissions. The Georgia Department of Education awarded the school STEM Certification in 2012 and 2017, and GSMST has been recognized by the Technology Association of Georgia as a leader in STEM education. GSMST leads the state of Georgia for ACT and SAT scores.
North Gwinnett High School – Advanced Placement and STEM Opportunities
- Type – Public
- Grades – 9 -12
- Enrollment – 3,199
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 20:1
- Address – 20 Level Creek Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024
- School District Report Card
Ranked as the #2 high school in Gwinnett County and #12 in the state of Georgia, North Gwinnett High School students have the opportunity to take advanced placement courses, enroll in CHARGEnorth for an innovative and rigorous STEM curriculum, or attend high school virtually. According to state test scores, 76% of students are at least proficient in math and 80% in reading.
Meadowcreek High School – Advanced Placement and Meadowcreek U Academy
- Type – Public
- Grades – 9 -12
- Enrollment – 2,623, 98% minorities, 77% economically disadvantaged
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 17:2
- Address – 4455 Steve Reynolds Blvd, Norcross, GA 30093
- School District Report Card
Regularly voted one of the districts top high schools, Meadowcreek High received a federal grant in 2012 to develop an academy structure at the school where students pursue core and electrice coursework in their chosen career-focused areas. Called Meadowcreek U, students can choose to participate in The School of International Business, The School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, The School of Communication and Arts, The School of Health, and The School of Information Technology.
In addition to its strong academic program, the school has won various awards in sports and is recognized by the Georgia Department of Education as an Advanced Placement Honor School, with students earning prestigious scholarships from The Broad Foundation and the Gates Millennium Foundation.
Best Middle Schools in Gwinnett County, GA
Each of the 36 public middle schools in Gwinnett County offer unique approaches to learning and growth. Some of the highest performing middle schools include:
North Gwinnett Middle School – High Academic Standards and Exceptional Extracurricular Opportunities
- Type – Public
- Grades – 6 – 8
- Enrollment – 2,168, 82% economically disadvantaged
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 17:1
- Address – 170 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Sugar Hill, GA 30518
- School District Report Card
Ranked #1 in Gwinnett County School District middle schools and #13 for middle schools in the state of Georgia, North Gwinnett Middle School performs better than 98.9% of middle schools in Georgia according to the calculated average standard test score in 2022. (Find out if living in Sugar Hill, GA is right for you.) Nearly 72% of students take Algebra 1, compared to the state average of 14%, and 82% of North Gwinnett Middle School students pass the course, compared to the state average of 40%.
In addition to traditional academics, Students at NGMS have the opportunity to join more than 25,000 middle school students from various Gwinnett County Public Schools in the Junior Achievement immersive learning experience program located on the Discovery High School campus in Lawrenceville.
Osborne Middle School – Above Average Test Performance
- Type – Public
- Grades – 6 – 8
- Enrollment – 1,677, 47% minority students, 21% economically disadvantaged
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 16:1
- Address – 4404 Braselton Hwy, Hoschton, GA 30548
- School District Report Card
Osborne Middle School is the #2 ranked middle school in Gwinnett County and ranked #20 for all of Georgia’s middle schools based on performance on state-required tests, graduation rate, and how well the school prepares students for high school.
Along with the four core academic courses in Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts, students at Osborne Middle School take two Connections courses per semester, which may include chorus, band, orchestra, art, theater, health, PE, STEM, Computer Science, Journalism, Spanish, or Engineering. There are also extensive opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities and sports.
Five Forks Middle School – Extremely Diverse & High-Performing School
- Type – Public
- Grades – 6 – 8
- Enrollment – 1,236
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 17:1
- Address – 3250 River Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
- School District Report Card
Considered the #2 school for both middle schools in Gwinnett County and Best Public Middle School Teachers, Five Forks Middle School is also the second most diverse public middle school in Georgia (out of 587 schools).
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement recognized Five Forks Middle School as a Silver level winner for Highest Performing School and Greatest Gains School under Georgia’s Single Statewide Accountability System.
Best Elementary Schools in Gwinnett County, GA
For the youngest learners in Gwinnett County, the elementary schools provide an introduction to learning and help prepare students to tackle increasingly difficult subject matter while becoming well-rounded individuals.
Riverside Elementary School – Largest Elementary School in Gwinnett County
- Type – Public
- Grades – Pre-K, K-5
- Enrollment – 919
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 15:1
- Address – 5445 Settles Bridge Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024
- School District Report Card
Currently at about 919 students, Riverside Elementary’s student population sometimes reaches 1,900 students. Despite the larger size, the school is highly rated and offers small class sizes with a student-teacher ratio of just 15 to 1. The students perform well on state tests, with 88% of students at least proficient in math and 81% in reading.
Riverside has won multiple awards over the years, including being fourth in the state for the Georgia Grade 5 Writing Assessment, first in the state for the highest percentage of students exceeding standards level on the Grade 5 Writing Assessment, Georgia School of Excellence, and Governor’s Gold School.
As the pilot school for eClass, Riverside regularly uses technology to support student instruction and transformation within the classroom.
Simpson Elementary School – Small Class Sizes & High Test Scores
- Type – Public
- Grades – Prek- 5
- Enrollment – 839, 31% minorities, 7% economically disadvantaged
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 12:1
- Address – 4525 E Jones Bridge Rd, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
- School District Report Card
Students who thrive with smaller class sizes will do well at Simpson Elementary, with just 12 students per teacher. Simpson Elementary serves a largely suburban population. (Read this article to find out if living in Peachtree Corners is right for you). 85% of students score at least proficient for math and 83% score proficient or better in reading.
Simpson opened in 1993 and by 2005 was one of three elementary schools in the county to receive the Platinum Award for Excellence in Achievement on the state assessment. The school proudly offers extensions to support academic achievement, including Future Problem Solving and Odyssey of the Mind, where the teams frequently place in state and world championships.
Level Creek Elementary School – Dual Language Immersion Program
- Type – Public
- Grades – Prek-5
- Enrollment – 1,029
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 16:1
- Address – 4488 Tench Road, Suwanee, GA 30024
- School District Report Card
Families who want their children to become fluent in a second language love Level Creek Elementary. It’s one of the few elementary schools to offer a dual language immersion program, where students receive 50% of instruction in English and 50% of instruction in Spanish. Enrollment in the dual language program is voluntary.
Beyond the exceptional language program, Level Creek is recognized as one of the top performing schools in both Gwinnett County and the entire state of Georgia, earning platinum ratings from the state for achievement and academic growth. 85% of students score proficient or better on Math and 80% are proficient or better in reading.
Top Private Schools in Gwinnett County
Some families choose private schools for a faith-based curriculum, for more structure, or to give their child more individualized attention. There are 42 private schools in Gwinnett County. Note that many Gwinnett County private schools offer financial aid.
Gerard Preparatory School – Gifted Learning Programs
- Type – Private
- Grades – Prek-12
- Enrollment –
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 12:1 or better
- Address – 263 Jackson St, Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Gerard Prep specializes in students with a gifted or distinct approach to learning with their 360 Approach to Education. The maximum number of students per class is 12.
Killian Hill Christian School – Faith-based and STEAM Programming
- Type – Private
- Grades – Preschool – 12
- Enrollment – 366
- Teacher to Student Ratio – 14:1
- Address – 151 Arcado Road, Lilburn, GA 30047
A spiritual and academic program, Killian Hill Christian School balances academics with fine arts and athletics, while encouraging students to live disciplined, Christ-centered lives. The curriculum is heavily STEAM focused and 80% of KHCS students take at least one Advanced Placement/college level course.
Discovery Montessori – Practical Life Skills and Nature Focused
- Type – Private
- Grades – 8 weeks to 12 years old
- Enrollment –
- Teacher to Student Ratio –
- Address – 3391 Dogwood Dr., Hapeville, GA
Discovery Montessori celebrates every child’s individuality and helps them learn how to contribute their unique talents to the world and culture. In addition to academics, Discovery Montessori teaches practical life skills like cleaning and preparing food, and is heavily focused on natural studies like botany and zoology.
Have you located the right Gwinnett County schools to help your kids succeed? If you’re planning to move to the area so your children receive the high quality education they deserve, Wirks Moving & Storage is here to help. Call us today at 404-635-6683 for a free consultation or fill out the form online to find out how we can relieve stress.
