Panola Way Elementary School

Set in Lithonia, Georgia, Panola Way Elementary School is a medium-sized elementary-level community, operated by DeKalb County. It educates 550 students across grades pre-K through 5.

Panola Way Elementary School is one of 131 schools operated by DeKalb County, a district that hosts 92,088 students overall.

Looking at the student body, Panola Way Elementary School shows that nearly all students (86%) are Black; the rest looks like 9% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. By comparison, DeKalb County as a whole is about 51% Black, so the school skews noticeably more Black than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Panola Way Elementary School has 34 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.2:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.3:1 average. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is north of DeKalb County's rate of about 77%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Panola Way Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 25.7%; this one delivers 13.2%.

Around the school, DeKalb County reports that median household income runs about $80,644, roughly 47% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Across DeKalb County's 154 public schools (combined enrollment of about 102,960 students), Panola Way Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Miller Grove Middle School, roughly 0.9 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Panola Way Elementary School ranks 8th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 19.6%.

The campus sits in a suburban setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 37%: 872 students in 2018 compared to 550 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 92% to 86% across the same window. Class-load math has grew: from 14.9:1 in 2018 to 16.2:1 in 2025.

On allk12, the feed for Panola Way Elementary School typically covers school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.