U.S. News & World Report’s new elementary, middle school rankings show Augusta area’s best

Last week, U.S. News & World Report released its 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools list. Rankings focused on state assessments of students who were proficient or above proficient in math and reading/language arts, while accounting for student background and achievement in core subjects. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the top 5 elementary and middle schools in Richmond, Columbia, and Aiken counties:

Best Richmond County elementary schools

1. C.T. Walker Magnet School
2. Lake Forest Hills Elementary School
3. Warren Road Elementary School
4. Freedom Park School
5. McBean Elementary School

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Best Richmond County middle schools

1. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School
2. A.R. Johnson Magnet School
3. Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School
4. Freedom Park School
5. Belair K-8 (Now Belair Middle School)