Dunwoody School Districts: The Essential Guide for Every Family

All school data sourced from Niche.com and the Georgia Department of Education (2023-24 school year).

Dunwoody school districts are the first thing most families ask me about — before they ask about the houses. That makes complete sense. Where your kids go to school shapes the whole neighborhood experience, and in Dunwoody, your school zone is determined entirely by your street address.

I have been living in Dunwoody since 2010, and through 330+ episodes of the What's Up Dunwoody podcast, I have had hundreds of conversations with parents, teachers, principals, and school board members about what education looks like here. That context is worth something. Actually, it's worth a lot — because the Dunwoody school districts experience is more nuanced than any ranking site can capture.

This guide is my honest attempt to put it all in one place. The numbers come from Niche.com and the state. The context comes from my family's experience with the DeKalb County school district and listening to this community for many years.

Dunwoody school districts are part of DeKalb County Schools. The district has five public elementary schools — Austin, Vanderlyn, Dunwoody, Chesnut, and Kingsley. Most students feed into Peachtree Middle School for grades 6-8, then Dunwoody High School for grades 9-12. Your school zone is determined entirely by your home's street address.

How Dunwoody School Districts Work

All of Dunwoody falls under DeKalb County Schools. Your specific address determines which elementary school zone you fall into. There is a small school choice option at the moment, but for most families, your address is your zone. Most Dunwoody school districts then feed into Peachtree Middle School for grades 6-8 and Dunwoody High School for grades 9-12.

That said, the elementary zone is where things get most neighborhood-specific. Families relocating to Dunwoody often start with the school zone map and work backward to the neighborhood after selecting their preferred elementary school. That's a smart way to approach a home search here, and what I suggest to my clients.

Source: dekalbschoolsga.org — DeKalb County Schools zone finder

Important: Redistricting and Possible School Closures (Spring 2026)

This is something every family considering Dunwoody school zones should be aware of right now.

As of early 2026, DeKalb County Schools has been actively discussing redistricting and the possible closure of Vanderlyn Elementary and Kingsley Elementary. These conversations are ongoing and no final decisions may have been made by the time you're reading this. I had Andrew Ziffer on the podcast to talk through what the redistricting process could mean for Dunwoody families — it's worth a listen if you're doing your homework. In addition, this will be an ongoing discussion for the next few years.

Bottom line: if Vanderlyn Elementary or Kingsley Elementary is a factor in your home search, verify the current school zone status directly with DeKalb County Schools before making any decisions. This situation is actively evolving.

Elementary Schools in the Dunwoody School District

There are five public elementary schools serving Dunwoody families. All five (for now) offer gifted programs and preschool through DeKalb County Schools.

Austin Elementary — Roberts Drive Area

Austin Elementary has built a reputation for high parent involvement and strong family engagement. It's a school where the community shows up, and that shows in the culture. Consequently, it consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in DeKalb County.

• 743 students, grades PreK-5
• Student-teacher ratio: 17 to 1
• Niche.com rating: Highly Rated
• Ranked #12 Best Public Elementary in DeKalb County (Niche.com)
• Ranked #305 Best Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #283 Best Public Elementary School Teachers in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #537 Most Diverse Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• 90% of students proficient in math (state testing, 2023-24)
• 81% of students proficient in reading (state testing, 2023-24)
• Gifted program offered

Source: Niche.com | Austin Elementary School, 5321 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Vanderlyn Elementary — Vanderlyn Drive Area

Vanderlyn Elementary is known for a strong parent community and consistent academic culture. It's a smaller school with a tight-knit neighborhood feel. Note: as of early 2026, this school zone is part of ongoing redistricting discussions. The families from the Vanderlyn community are showing up at every school board meeting to fight to keep their school open.

• 444 students, grades PreK-5
• Student-teacher ratio: 14 to 1
• Niche.com rating: Highly Rated
• Ranked #14 Best Public Elementary in DeKalb County (Niche.com)
• Ranked #331 Best Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #501 Best Public Elementary School Teachers in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #548 Most Diverse Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• 80% of students proficient in math (state testing, 2023-24)
• 78% of students proficient in reading (state testing, 2023-24)
• Gifted program offered

Source: Niche.com | Vanderlyn Elementary School, 1877 Vanderlyn Dr, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Dunwoody Elementary — Womack Road Area

Dunwoody Elementary is one of the larger schools in the area and sits right in the heart of the community. It has a broad mix of families and a well-rounded program. In addition, it offers one of the more diverse student experiences of any Dunwoody elementary school.

• 774 students, grades PreK-5
• Student-teacher ratio: 14 to 1
• Niche.com rating: Highly Rated
• Ranked #13 Best Public Elementary in DeKalb County (Niche.com)
• Ranked #327 Best Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #579 Best Public Elementary School Teachers in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #218 Most Diverse Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• 75% of students proficient in math (state testing, 2023-24)
• 72% of students proficient in reading (state testing, 2023-24)
• Gifted program offered

Source: Niche.com | Dunwoody Elementary School, 1923 Womack Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Chesnut Elementary — N. Peachtree Road Area

Chesnut Elementary is one of the smaller and more intimate schools in the Dunwoody school district. It has one of the lowest student-teacher ratios of any Dunwoody elementary and ranks among the most diverse public elementary schools in Georgia. Both of my boys attended this school, and I know it well if you have any questions.

• 512 students, grades PreK-5
• Student-teacher ratio: 12 to 1 (lowest in the area)
• Niche.com rating: Above Average
• Ranked #25 Best Public Elementary in DeKalb County (Niche.com)
• Ranked #507 Best Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #594 Best Public Elementary School Teachers in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #46 Most Diverse Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• 61% of students proficient in math (state testing, 2023-24)
• 61% of students proficient in reading (state testing, 2023-24)
• Gifted program offered

Source: Niche.com | Chesnut Elementary School, 4576 N Peachtree Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Kingsley Elementary — Brendon Drive Area

Kingsley is the smallest of Dunwoody's five elementary schools. It ranks among the most diverse public elementary schools in Georgia. Note: as of early 2026, this school zone is part of the same redistricting discussions affecting Vanderlyn — verify current status with DeKalb County Schools.

• 364 students, grades PreK-5
• Student-teacher ratio: 13 to 1
• Ranked #383 Most Diverse Public Elementary in Georgia (Niche.com)
• No additional DeKalb County ranking available on Niche.com at time of publication
• 34% of students proficient in math (state testing, 2023-24)
• 34% of students proficient in reading (state testing, 2023-24)
• Gifted program offered

Source: Niche.com | Kingsley Elementary School, 2051 Brendon Dr, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Middle School: Peachtree Middle School

Most Dunwoody elementary students move on to Peachtree Middle School for grades 6 through 8, regardless of which elementary school zone they came from. It's a large school with a wide range of programs and one of the more diverse middle schools in the region.

• 1,208 students, grades 6-8
• Student-teacher ratio: 15 to 1
• Niche.com rating: Above Average
• Ranked #7 Best Public Middle School in DeKalb County (Niche.com)
• Ranked #255 Best Public Middle School in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #320 Best Public Middle School Teachers in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #89 Most Diverse Public Middle School in Georgia (Niche.com)
• 39% of students proficient in math (state testing, 2023-24)
• 50% of students proficient in reading (state testing, 2023-24)
• Gifted program offered

Source: Niche.com | Peachtree Middle School, 4664 N Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30338

High School: Dunwoody High School

Dunwoody High School is one of the stronger public high schools in the state when it comes to college prep. It has a robust AP program, strong athletics, and extracurriculars that families consistently bring up as reasons they love this school.

• 1,974 students, grades 9-12
• Student-teacher ratio: 16 to 1
• Niche.com rating: Highly Rated
• Ranked #31 Best College Prep Public High School in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #47 Best Public High School in Georgia (Niche.com)
• Ranked #63 Most Diverse Public High School in Georgia (Niche.com)
• No separate DeKalb County high school ranking available on Niche.com at time of publication
• Average SAT: 1230 | Average ACT: 29
• 39% of students enrolled in AP courses
• Graduation rate: 85%
• 38% of students proficient in math (state testing, 2023-24)
• 53% of students proficient in reading (state testing, 2023-24)
• AP and gifted programs offered

Programs that come up constantly when I talk to Dunwoody parents: Wildcat Football, DHS Theater, and Dunwoody Robotics. DHS has a culture of students who are involved, and there's a lot happening beyond the classroom.

Source: Niche.com | Dunwoody High School, 5035 Vermack Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Private School Options Near Dunwoody, GA

This is a big part of the Dunwoody school conversation that often gets left out of guides like this.

A significant number of Dunwoody families choose private school at some point in their kids' education. It's common enough here that it's worth acknowledging. The area has access to some well-regarded private schools within a reasonable drive, including options with religious affiliations, college prep focuses, and alternative educational approaches.

Some of the most frequently mentioned names in Dunwoody parent conversations include The Galloway School, Wesleyan School, Holy Innocents' Episcopal School, Atlanta International School, Cornerstone Christian Academy, Marist School, and St. Pius X Catholic High School — though families draw from a wide range of private options across north Atlanta and Sandy Springs depending on their priorities.

One pattern I've seen play out more times than I can count — and experienced firsthand with my own family — is families who choose private school for the elementary or middle years and then come back to Dunwoody High School. That's exactly what we did with our oldest son. He started at Chesnut Elementary and we ended up taking him to Cornerstone Christian Academy in 4th grade. Next year he will be attending Dunwoody High School with many of his private school classmates. DHS has enough going on academically, in athletics, and in the broader school culture that it pulls families back. DHS students also earn acceptance into major colleges at a level that rivals or surpasses many private schools. It's a real path that a lot of Dunwoody families take.

If private school is part of your family's plan, it's worth researching independently and factoring commute into your Dunwoody home search. I'm happy to talk through how that affects which school zone makes the most sense for your family.

Thinking About Buying or Selling in Dunwoody?

I have been here since 2010. I know the neighborhoods, the school zones, and the streets that feel different from one block to the next. If you want to talk through what the right fit looks like for your family, I'm around.

Text me or call 404-502-8683. No pressure, just a real conversation.

Schedule a call with me at whatsupdunwoody.com/call

All school data sourced from Niche.com and the Georgia Department of Education (2023-24 school year). School zone boundaries and school status are subject to change. Always verify with DeKalb County Schools at dekalbschoolsga.org.