South Georgia Times

There were 2,962 seventh grade students enrolled in Lowndes County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 2.3% less than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Valdosta Middle School welcomed the largest number of seventh grade students among county schools, registering 747 students during the 2022-23 school year.

Within Lowndes County schools, the highest student count was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in 12th grade.

Statewide, Lowndes County ranked 22nd in enrollment numbers, with a total of 38,025 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was also ranked 22nd the year before.

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	# of 7th Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Valdosta Middle School	747	34.9%	2,142
Hahira Middle School	571	33.4%	1,709
Lowndes Middle School	544	32.3%	1,684
Newbern Middle School	533	33.1%	1,608
Pine Grove Middle School	477	32.1%	1,486
Scintilla Charter Academy	90	6.3%	1,420