Ware County School District

Public Grades PK–12 BSchool Grade

Public schools for Waycross.

At a glance

5,920Students enrolled

9Schools

$16,364Spent per student

13:1Student–teacher ratio

87%Free / reduced lunch

School path

Where would my kid go?

For Waycross

Grades K–5

Center Elementary School or Williams Heights Elementary School or Memorial Drive Elementary SchoolDepends on your addressThis district

Grades 6–8

Waycross Middle School606 students · WaycrossThis district

Grades 9–12

Ware County High School1,633 students · WaycrossThis district

Based on district boundaries from the U.S. Department of Education. Where a town has more than one school at a grade, your street decides; check with the district before you enroll.

Academic performanceDistrict vs GA

Math proficiency27%

State average 34.8%

Reading / language arts35%

State average 38.5%

Graduation rate (4-year)92%

State average 84.8%

EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (tests 2020–21; graduation 2019–20). The tick marks the state average.

Where the money goes

$16,364

per student each year · 4% above the GA average

Spending

Classroom instruction62%

Support & administration33%

Other5%

Paid for by

Local (mostly property tax)28%

State53%

Federal19%

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances (fiscal 2024).

Enrollment · last 5 years

6,105’20

6,025’21

5,973’22

5,977’23

5,920’24

Students

White · 45%2,661

Black · 38%2,236

Hispanic · 9%546

Two or more races · 7%413

Asian · 1%45

American Indian/Alaska Native · 0%15

Across the district's schools, as reported to NCES.

Schools9 in district

📚

Wacona Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 885 students · Waycross

B-Public 📚

Center Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 470 students · Waycross

B-Public 📚

Williams Heights Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 436 students · Waycross

B-Public 📚

Waresboro Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 429 students · Waycross

BPublic 📚

Ruskin Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 363 students · Waycross

BPublic 📚

Memorial Drive Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 346 students · Waycross

B+Public 📚

Ware County Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 752 students · Waycross

B-Public 📚

Waycross Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 606 students · Waycross

B-Public 🏫

Ware County High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 1,633 students · Waycross

B-Public

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES). Ratings are from neighbors on TownTapestry.

District facts from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory and school district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau's school finance survey. Test scores and graduation rates from EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings reflect opinions, not an official measure of school quality.