A.L. Burruss, MCAA and West Side are 2026 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools, in the state's top 5%. All three can now apply for a national award.

Three Marietta City Schools elementary schools are 2026 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools. The honor places them among the top 5% of Georgia’s Title I schools for overall performance.

The three schools are:

  • A.L. Burruss Elementary
  • the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics (MCAA)
  • West Side Elementary

Marietta City Schools announced the recognition Monday in a district news release. The Georgia Department of Education picks the schools each year through its Office of Federal Programs, the district said.

The ranking uses combined English language arts and math scores from the 2024-25 school year.

A shot at a national award

All three schools can now apply for a 2026 National ESEA Distinguished School Award. That award goes to no more than two schools per state, the district said.

How the schools ranked

The district also gave each school’s standing in statewide rankings:

  • MCAA: third graders ranked No. 1 in Georgia for reading at or above grade level. They were also No. 1 for the share of students scoring Proficient or Distinguished in both English and math. Fourth graders placed in the state’s top three in every tested category.
  • West Side: third graders ranked No. 1 in the state for both English and math average scores.
  • A.L. Burruss: students in third through fifth grade placed in the top 20% of Georgia schools in English. Fifth graders also reached the top 20% in math and science.

The three schools at a glance

School Address Grades Students 2025 CCRPI score
A.L. Burruss Elementary 325 Manning Road K-5 439 93.3
Marietta Center for Advanced Academics 311 Aviation Road 3-5, by application 273 99.8
West Side Elementary 344 Polk St. NW K-5 571 91.8

Enrollment and College and Career Ready Performance Index scores are from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement’s 2025 School Grades data, which covers the same 2024-25 school year.

The award is the latest strong result for the district this fall. Marietta High’s Class of 2026 posted a record graduation rate and its best SAT average since the 2016 redesign, and its ACT average rose as Georgia’s fell.

What it means for you

  • If your child attends one of the three, each school’s profile has its state report card, calendar and office number, plus the attendance zone for the two neighborhood schools: A.L. Burruss, MCAA and West Side.
  • If you are interested in MCAA, it is a STEAM magnet for grades 3-5 and admits students by application. It does not have an attendance zone. Our profile page explains how to apply.
  • If you are moving to Marietta, Marietta City Schools is a separate district from the Cobb County School District. Our public schools page explains which addresses each one serves.