South Georgia Times

There were 239 third grade students enrolled in Atkinson County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 2.1% more than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Pearson Elementary School welcomed the largest number of third grade students among county schools, registering 181 students during the 2022-23 school year.

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

Statewide, Atkinson County ranked 120th in enrollment numbers, with a total of 3,069 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was ranked 121st 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 3rd Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Pearson Elementary School	181	15.8%	1,148
Willacoochee Elementary School	58	19%	306