Ware County

Ware County Schools serve approximately 5,920 students across 9 schools in southeast Georgia, including 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school, with the district earning a 3-star rating and ranking 67th out of 201 Georgia districts.

For parents, the standout story is Ruskin Elementary School, which despite serving a 100% free/reduced lunch population, ranks as the district's top school at the 76th percentile with a 4-star rating and the best 5th-grade science (62.1%) and math (57.6%) scores in the district. Waresboro Elementary School is a close second, ranking in the 73rd percentile with strong 5th-grade math (54.8%) and science (56.4%) proficiency. At the middle school level, Ware County Middle School achieved a perfect 100% proficiency on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, while Waycross Middle School posted 90.9% — both far exceeding the state average of 48.1%. Ware County High School boasts a 95.4% graduation rate (state: 87.2%) and has improved its ranking from the 59th to 75th percentile, with notable gains in Algebra I (47.7% to 58.7%) and Biology (45.6% to 53.5%).

However, challenges remain. Middle school math proficiency in grades 6-8 lags state averages significantly — 7th grade math is just 24.9% versus the state's 42.0% — even as advanced math students excel. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern, with six of nine schools exceeding the state rate of 17.7%; Ware County High School (24.6%) and Waresboro Elementary (23.2%) are the most affected. The district strategically allocates resources, with the highest per-student spending at Ruskin Elementary ($17,519) and Memorial Drive Elementary ($16,914), both 100% poverty schools. Notably, Williams Heights Elementary (80.28% poverty) and Center Elementary show a consistent "4th grade peak" in math, while science is a relative strength district-wide, outperforming the state in both 5th and 8th grades.