Springdale Park Elementary School in Atlanta

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	10/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Georgia Milestones End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment data from Georgia Governor's Office of Student Achievement, and using 2025 Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade (EOG) Assessment data from Georgia Governor's Office of Student Achievement.
Student Growth	8/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from Georgia Governor's Office of Student Achievement.

Posted: May 31, 2026

This school is an amazing school both of my kids have gone here since they were in kindergarten. I have never seen them grow like this before. One of my kids are now going to Howard middle school and I am very exited to see them thrive over there.

Posted: May 31, 2026

Posted: November 18, 2025

Our two children have thrived at Springdale Park and we absolutely love this school. The teachers are both skilled and nurturing and the administration is caring and thoughtful. I can comfortably speak to teachers and even the principal when I have a question or concern. They are strong academically and I have seen the results in both of my children.

Posted: November 18, 2025

Posted: May 29, 2025

My daughter and son both go here and its been a wonderful experience. We had a bullying incident that was handled swiftly and appropriately and that gave my daughter confidence and me peace of mind. In addition both of my kids are challenged and have learned so much. Id highly recommend this school!

Posted: May 29, 2025

Posted: May 26, 2023

I had to ask around because I never encountered a school environment that was more catty or passive aggressive. The school was dedicated to moving blame and doing as little as possible. The principals and their inner circle act like high school bullies and it is uncomfortable. My child was getting punched and bullied. When I expressed concern to my child's teacher, the teacher was reprimanded, and my child continued to be harassed. It is unbelievable that my child's education was severely impacted at such a young age, and the only person punished was the teacher who tried to help us.

I do not understand why students with behavior problems, who take away from other children's learning, get priority and get to avoid consequences. This school is a glowing example of toxic Yuppie culture, and handholding to make bad families feel good about themselves. The school and principals may look bright and shiny, but they work hard to hide their toxicity and no-discipline policies.

Posted: May 26, 2023

Posted: May 2, 2022

SPARK is absolutely wonderful leadership and success start at the top and it does not get better than Mr. Harness (principal). He genuinely cares about his students and his staff. The results are proven SPARK is the most ethnically diverse school in the cluster other than Hope Hill, it has the best elementary MAPS testing scores of ANY school in the APS cluster Yes of any school in all of APS!!

Our daughter is thriving and I cannot imagine how or why there are complaints on this platform about SPARK. I think some people cannot ever be pleased, no it is not perfect, yes its part of APS (which has a terrible superintendent and is definitely not well run APS not SPARK), yes there could always be a place for some level of improvement, but if you have an issue and you take it to Mr. Harness, he will listen and address. Some teachers are better than others as with all schools, but I think f you send your child here you are stacking the odds in their favor to learn, grow, thrive and be amongst the best students and staff in all of APS. This is a phenomenal school with the best of everything. It was just accredited with STEM certification. There are so many ways to be involved and the environment is inclusive. We are lucky to have a child here!

Posted: May 2, 2022

Posted: January 31, 2021

This school is a good school because of their hyper focus on test scores. The students spend months preparing for standardized testing and there is 0 social-emotional learning. We were glad to get out.

Posted: January 31, 2021

Posted: August 14, 2020

Disappointed with the school. I wish the curriculum was more organized and there was a bigger focus on timeliness to issues parents raise.

Posted: August 14, 2020

Posted: December 12, 2019

Highest marks possible. I have had at least one child here since 2012 and currently have two there and love everything about the school.

Posted: December 12, 2019

No homework Family nights on Wednesday evenings

Posted: December 12, 2019

Weaker teachers have been pushed out over the last few years. Strong admin support to help the entire staff.

Posted: December 12, 2019

Their is a big focus on social and emotional learning. I am constantly amazed by the overall empathy and caring from the students.

Posted: December 12, 2019

One of the strongest principal/assistant principal teams in APS.

Posted: December 12, 2019

I dont have children with any special needs but have heard mostly positive feedback from parents that do.

Posted: December 12, 2019

Bullying is effectively non existent at SPARK. When there are issues the teachers and administration addresses it immediately.

Posted: July 14, 2019

Our son attended Kindergarden and First Grade at SPARK. We have been happy overall with a few caveats.

We weren't a huge fan of our Kindergarden Teacher but liked our First Grade Teacher. Hoping for a good experience for second grade.

The school is within a very affluent district in Atlanta. While there is some racial and socioeconomic diversity, it is a mostly upper-middle-class white school. After two years there we worry sometimes that our son is surrounded by priviledge and about his ability to appreciate the opportunities he has and be empathetic to others who have less.

Again, overall happy just something to carefully consider if looking to move in the district.

Posted: April 17, 2019

Springdale Park is an amazing school! The administrators, Mr. Harness and Dr. Toney, are always available to speak with parents. The teachers and staff are world class! Best school ever!

Posted: April 17, 2019

Posted: February 3, 2018

I teach here currently and love it! Wonderful place to work and great place for students to learn and thrive!

Posted: August 3, 2017

I am a teacher at this school. Unfortunately the staff morale is extremely low due to the lack of support from our principal. Many outstanding teachers have left the school, along with the secretary who was absolutely amazing, because they were having a hard time serving without the support of the admin team. The test scores have dropped tremendously and the principal does not seem to care. I would not send my children to this school.

Posted: August 3, 2017

Posted: June 13, 2017

Wonderful school. Amazing principal. Thanks, Mr. Harness

Posted: June 13, 2017

Posted: April 27, 2017

Amazing small town feel in city living. Principal is amazing and engaged with kids and parents. 99% of teachers are absolutely tremendous. Great experience overall!

Posted: July 25, 2016

My son is entering 2nd grade at SPARK (he has been there since K) and we love it! He has had great teachers that have had genuine concern for his learning and have gone above and beyond to ensure his success.
We are sad to see the past principal leave as she goes on to bigger and better things (a testament to caliber of staff at SPARK), but we are excited to see what the new principal will bring to the table.
We are actually staying in our home which we have outgrown in order to keep our children at SPARK!

Posted: January 5, 2016

A wonderful, inclusive and exciting school! We have loved having our two kids attend this school and will be sad to leave when they move on to middle school. The teachers are warm and loving and the school facility is fabulous and newly renovated. The rooftop garden is especially nice. Very involved parents and an active and engaged PTO. The only complaints are really district-wide issues that the school has no control over and are issues at all APS schools. We have really loved our time at this school.

Posted: August 16, 2015

Academically this school is better than the rest of what the district has to offer. Most of the teachers are enthusiastic about teaching and truly want to see students excel. I've had concerns about some of the teachers' use of improper grammar, but luckily our family is the type to ensure proper training at home as well as school. The resources at the school are excellent. There is a strong PTO that is actively engaged and will ensure that children's academic needs are met.
Social development at this school is severely lacking. APS, as a district, doesn't have much diversity. Many schools are very segregated. While this school has a decent mix, the school would benefit from sensitivity/diversity courses. Of course, a child's narrow minded views come from their closed minded parents, but some of the statements that have been made in the classroom that have gone uncorrected are startling. My family is not from the South, so maybe this is normal to most. However, it's difficult to focus solely on academics and ignore the lack of diversity and efforts of inclusion to teach the "whole child". Considering that social development is not being properly taught in some homes, it'd be great to have a place where, for 6 hours, a child could learn about others outside of their "bubble".

Posted: August 16, 2015

Posted: August 14, 2015

Great variety of the after school programs. The teachers have been top notch.
The school offers many opportunities for parents to get involved.

Posted: May 30, 2015

My daughter completed her first year at SPARK. She transitioned well from a small private school. We like the facility, the involved parent's association and enthusiastic teachers. While we plan on sending our daughter back next year, we do not believe that she was challenged academically. This is mostly due to a rigid public school system that doesn't allow for individual lesson planning and teaches to the middle. While her teacher understood our concerns about keeping her challenged she had 24 other kids to plan for as well. We understand it is our job to manage our child's learning and we supplement SPARK with outside enrichment to keep her challenged

Posted: August 10, 2014

Springdale Park Elementary has provided a wonderful learning environment for our children. The school is beautifully renovated with a fantastic rooftop garden from which the children get to sample vegetables. The teachers are warm and loving and it is a fantastic community of parents.

Posted: June 19, 2014

This school is amazing: from the family science night, to the rooftop garden, to the spanish language classes (for grades 1 and up), to the science presentations for younger kids during the standard testing for older kids, to the orchestra, the environmental science program, the music and art programs (seriously the music teacher got the 1st graders to sing somewhere over the rainbow acapella this year, do you know how challenging that song is for young kids??), to the focus on reasonable personal physical activity in PE, to the supplemental reading circula, to the anti-bullying pro-self esteem focus, I could not love this school more if I tried. I'd go here in a heartbeat, if If they would let me attend an elementary school. I have a daughter in 2nd grade and a son in Kindergarden.

Posted: March 23, 2014

This is an amazing school all around from the teachers to the parents to the administration. An active PTO and generous parents contribute extra time and money to support the school. Fundraisers and requests for supplies are always answered. While it is not immune to a bad teacher or administrator every now and then, it rivals any private school in terms of educational outcomes. The only differences are that Springdale Park has a slightly higher class size and is governed by APS. The excellent record of the school has caused the student population to grow and expansions are already under construction. I'm excited to be a part of the school and can't wait until my younger children start here.

Posted: January 16, 2014

Great principal, excellent teachers, beautiful facility. Disappointed with experiences we have had with other administrators and staff here, unfortunately. Very involved and wonderful parent involvement.

Posted: January 16, 2014

Springdale Park is such a beautiful school! Filled with beautiful people. The principal is brilliant! Ms. Brown makes it a point to know every single one of her students. The teachers are brilliant too! They make sure every single student tries their best and succeeds. These teachers really make the best out of children. Gives a lot of work but also still knows how to have fun! School Activities are greatly valued in Spark (Springdale Park nickname). Especially the fifth grade Wahsega trip!!! So enjoyable! -former student

Posted: January 15, 2014

Highest Quality in Town! Rooftop organic garden, quality music program, accelerated reader curriculum and Hi tech in every classroom. Teachers are wait listed to teach here and the parent & community support is terrific. There are strong friendships, a supportive environment and the school is expanding to meet the InTown demand with so many families growing and wanting to attend.

Posted: January 11, 2014

Great school but.....Security is terrible, there is no fence around the school...anyone could walk in, any child could walk onto the road, an accident waiting to happen. The school is good and would get 5 stars with a fence! What will it take to get that....an awful incident I think.

Posted: December 30, 2013

The principal, the teachers, the gifted program, the afterschool classes, the green design of the buildings, the rooftop garden, and for so many more other reasons, we love SPARK so much. We have been thrilled with our experience over the last three years, and our daughter is thriving and loves going to school every morning. We feel blessed to be a part of this school and community. Highly recommended.

Posted: September 22, 2013

An excellent school with some of the best teachers available anywhere. The classes are well run and the school is well equipped thanks to the active PTO, responsible parents, effective administration and most of all the top-notch educators. This school excels despite the ongoing challenges they face within the greater Atlanta Public Schools (APS) system. If not for the political shenanigans of the School Board Members, it's possible that the entire APS system could rise up to deliver like this school does year-after-year. I would highly recommend Springdale Park as well as neighboring schools Morningside and Mary Lin.

Posted: August 21, 2013

This is my childs first year at Springdale and everything from its organization, communication and cleanliness has been very impressive! I look forward to this school year and many more!

Posted: August 5, 2013

Springdale Park Elementary Atlanta, GA 30306 I've worked at many schools in my 32+ years of teaching and administration. Springdale Park with Principal Yolanda Brown and Assistant Principal Chante Blackwell is the number 1 school in Georgia!

Posted: May 16, 2013

My three children attended SPARK for three years and it was such a wonderful experience for them. Great teachers, curriculum, and parent involvement. My children were always challenged with the school work, enjoyed the extra-curricular activities, and facilities were new/modern. I would say this is one of the best elementary schools in Atlanta.

Posted: May 10, 2013

Overall SPARK is a wonderful public school in Atlanta. Teachers are competent and involved, the school environment is great, they have all the latest tools (media, computers, smart boards, etc.) that any public school would only dream of, and they have a genuine emphasis on being "green". I am not rating it 5 stars because i think it still needs improvement regarding security. The school is not gated and located near a major 2x2 road (Ponce de Leon) I find it amazing that the kids are in recess, but any child could walk to Ponce, or any stranger, could walk up to the recess area. The school will tell you that they have teachers/staff watching the kids during recess to make sure no one is going outside of the school boundaries. The school is new and is only about 4 years old. Unfortunately, one day, an accident will happen, and they will finally decide to put a fence around the school.

Posted: April 22, 2013

I have two children at SPARK and we have been thrilled with their educational experience. There is a strong focus on academics (As expected - it's school!). My kids are equally challenged to grow in areas or accountability, citizenship and responsibility. The parent, teacher, student community is fantastic. We have been very happy with SPARK.

Posted: December 10, 2012

We attended Springdale Park and decided it wasn't a good fit for us so transferred to another public school. What an amazing difference! It's wonderful to have teachers who are teaching and parents who are listening. The curriculum is much more on track with Ga state standards and they don't just teach the test. If you are looking for babysitting Spark is for you, if you are looking for an education for your children, look elsewhere, there are some truly wonderful public schools in Georgia.

Posted: September 18, 2012

Springdale Park is a great school. I am really suprised by some of the comments that are appearing on this site. Springdale Park has only been in operation for four years. From what I can see and hear, it is one of the best and highest performing schools in APS. Ms. Brown and her staff are fantastic. Yes, the school is academically focused, but there are so many other great activities and enrichment for the kids. I have been very pleased with the school, the parents, the strong leadership and wonderful teachers.

Posted: September 9, 2012

This is our first time in a public school setting. Have been disappointed in the inconsistencies of the school from Principal on to the teacher. It appears that the school is so consumed with the academic side and forgets the overall picture of the child. Listening to students is a scarce commodity at Springdale Park. This School is below average overall in my opinion. However the environment is clean.

Posted: June 9, 2012

I agree with the recent reviewers here. The school is better than most APS schools in terms of its environment. The parent involvement is awesome. The physical school environment is lovely. The communication, however, is terrible. Their measure of achievement is purely based on CRCT testing and there is little or no experiential or hands-on learning. My child was bored and not enthusiastic about the worksheet approach to learning. With so much student talent in the school, I am surprised they are not using that to their advantage and doing more. Unfortunately, math and science do not seem to be a priority. Honestly, I don't know what the long-term vision for the school is. They seem to be riding on a few years of high CRCT scores and perhaps a few too many parents who are complacent with an all A's report card.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Garden Hills	Condominium/Townhouse	Atlanta	GA		4.4 mi
2	Heritage Farms	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Marietta	GA		20.5 mi

Base	Distance
Fort Gillem	10.6 mi.
Dobbins ARB	13.7 mi.

Springdale Park Elementary School

Atlanta, GA 30306

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Springdale Park Elementary School

Atlanta, GA 30306

School Ratings

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