Cedar Hill Elementary School stands near the site occupied by the original Cedar Hill School built in the late 1800s. It was a school for the rural children who lived on and near the Robert Craig Plantation known as "Little Egypt" and was located in the heart of a cedar grove - thus the name, Cedar Hill. In 1906, Cedar Hill became a public school and continued as such until 1948, when the late Jesse J. Baggett renovated the building and hired an Atlanta teacher, who rode the bus out from the city each day to the now public school. In 1927, Cedar Hill School was valued at $250, according to public school records. Cedar Hill stayed open until 1951; in 1952 the students were added to the rolls of Hooper-Renwick School in Lawrenceville.

Babye Baggett, an area resident, recalled the school’s history and submitted the name of "Cedar Hill" for the school, which opened in the fall of 1988. Mrs. Baggett consulted with artist Robert Cunningham and together they captured the feeling of the original building in a painting which currently hangs in the atrium of Cedar Hill.

Cedar Hill was completed on August 16, 1988. It was built to relieve Lawrenceville, Benefield, and Gwin Oaks elementary schools. In 1992-93 an eleven-room addition was completed, bringing the capacity to 1100. Hugh May was selected as its first principal and served until his retirement in 1992. Debbie Allred succeeded Mr. May and served as school principal until December, 2000. Susan White became Cedar Hill's third principal in January, 2001.