Gainesville Exploration Academy

gesweb.gcssk12.net/

554 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

Gainesville Exploration Academy (GEA) is a unique public elementary school within the Gainesville City School System, distinguished by its focus on inquiry-based learning and hands-on discovery. The school is built on the philosophy that students learn best when they are actively engaged in exploring the world around them, often incorporating project-based learning and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) initiatives into the core curriculum. By fostering a culture of curiosity, the academy aims to develop critical thinkers who are equipped to solve real-world problems.

Located on McEver Road, the school serves a diverse student body and emphasizes a collaborative community environment. GEA is known for its commitment to both academic excellence and the social-emotional development of its students, often utilizing flexible classroom structures and immersive learning experiences to keep children motivated. As part of the broader Gainesville City school district, the academy maintains rigorous standards while providing a specialized educational experience designed to spark a lifelong love of learning in every student.

554

Total Students

39.3

Full-Time Teachers

14.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

81.2%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Gainesville Exploration Academy
Demographic	Student Count
White	39
Hispanic	392
Black	95
Asian	13
Two or More	15

Hispanic
392 (70.8 %)
Black
95 (17.1 %)
White
39 (7.0 %)
Two or More
15 (2.7 %)
Asian
13 (2.3 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Gainesville City
Phone:	(770)287-1223
Website:	http://gesweb.gcssk12.net/
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	554
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	39.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.1
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Provision 2
Qualified Free Lunch:	359
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	91

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 36

Kindergarten 86

Grade 1 73

Grade 2 78

Grade 3 94

Grade 4 90

Grade 5 97