South Georgia Times

Among the many ethnicities represented in Ware County schools, white was the most prevalent among Ware County students in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

Of the 5,610 students attending Ware County schools, 48% were white. African American students were the second most common ethnicity, making up 37% of Ware County student body.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Ware County, representing 49% of the student body.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 1.3% when compared to the previous year.

While enrollment in Georgia inches closer to pre-pandemic levels, chronic absenteeism remains a serious challenge. In 2023, a significant portion of students (23%) missed 10% or more of their classes. Although this is slightly better than the peak of 25% in 2022, it's still nearly double the pre-pandemic rate of 13% recorded in 2019.

School name	Most prevalent ethnic group	% of Total Student Population	Total Enrollment
Ware County Middle School	White	53%	767
Wacona Elementary School	White	62%	640
Ruskin Elementary School	White	41%	356
Ware County High School	White	48%	1,539
Waycross Middle School	African American	45%	582
Center Elementary School	African American	57%	484
Waresboro Elementary School	White	62%	455
Williams Heights Elementary School	African American	48%	425
Memorial Drive Elementary School	White	54%	362