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C+

Ware County School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Waycross.

Waycross’ School Grade C+ better than 41% of Georgia school districts

Students
5,920
Schools
9
Spent per student
$16,364
GA $15,800
Students per teacher
13:1
Free or reduced lunch
87%
Debt
$20.2M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Ware County School District

  • Its letter, C+: results better than 41% of Georgia districts
  • 13 students per teacher
  • Debt of $20.2M, about $3,404 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C+: better than 41% of the 220 Georgia school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math below the state, 2021–22
B−
GraduationFour-year graduation below the state, class of 2023
D
The town it serves, and its School Grade
C+Waycross 13,936

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Waycross. Grade by grade →

K–53 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Waycross Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Ware County High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. GA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency33%
State average 37.4% · 3,075 students tested
Reading / language arts36%
State average 39.6% · 3,094 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)82%
State average 84.4% · 365 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$16,364 per student · 4% above GA
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 33%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 28%State 53%Federal 19%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
6,105’20
6,025’21
5,973’22
5,977’23
5,920’24

Down 3% since 2020–21.

Students
White 45%Black 38%Hispanic 9%Two or more races 7%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

9 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Georgia’s other public schools.

Wacona Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Waycross
B−
885 students19:1
Center Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Waycross
B−
470 students13:1
Williams Heights Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Waycross
B−
436 students13:1
Waresboro Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Waycross
B
429 students12:1
Ruskin Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Waycross
B
363 students12:1
Memorial Drive Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Waycross
B+
346 students11:1
Ware County Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Waycross
B−
752 students12:1
Waycross Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Waycross
B−
606 students13:1
Ware County High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Waycross
B−
1,633 students14:1

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Georgia.