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Test scores delayed: 2026 rankings for Georgia do not yet include English Language Arts scores, which will not be released by the Georgia Department of Education until winter 2026.

Williams Heights Elementary School

Q: Is Williams Heights Elementary School a good school?

Williams Heights Elementary School ranks 456 th of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

456^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,222 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 63% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Williams Heights Elementary School in Waycross, GA, serves approximately 436 students in grades K-5 as part of Ware County Schools. The school holds a 3-star rating and has shown a strong rebound this year, climbing from the 51st to the 63rd percentile statewide—a notable improvement that aligns with gains in several key areas.

The most impressive story at Williams Heights is 4th grade math. In 2025-2026, 60.5% of 4th graders scored proficient, the highest rate among all Ware County elementary schools and well above the state average of 50.1%. This is a dramatic 32-point jump from the previous year. Fifth grade science is also a bright spot, with 55.9% proficiency—again beating both district and state averages—and showing steady growth over the past three years. The school has also made real progress on attendance: chronic absenteeism dropped from 22.5% to 17.8%, now matching the state rate and falling below the district average. These wins suggest a positive trajectory for the school community.

Compared to nearby schools, Williams Heights sits in the middle of the pack within Ware County. Ruskin Elementary and Waresboro Elementary rank higher, while Wacona Elementary and Center Elementary rank lower. Notably, Williams Heights outperforms the much larger Wacona despite similar poverty levels. The contrast is sharper with Pierce County schools like Midway Elementary and Patterson Elementary, which post significantly higher scores—though those differences largely reflect broader district-level factors, as Pierce County ranks 10th in the state while Ware County ranks 67th. One area to watch is 3rd grade math, where proficiency (33.4%) trails the state average, though this has fluctuated year to year. With a favorable 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending slightly above the district average, Williams Heights appears well-positioned to build on its current momentum.

436

Students ?

13.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,748

Per pupil spending ?

80.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

705 Dewey St
Waycross, GA 31501

(912) 287-2399

District: Ware County

Students who attend Williams Heights Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Waycross Middle School
High:	Ware County High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

51.8%

White:

31.9%

Two or more races:

9.2%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Williams Heights Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 69th percentile in 2016 → 63rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Georgia median (63rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school48%

District avg47%

Georgia avg47%

456^th of 1,222

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 37%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From top 31% (2016) to top 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 6Elementary Schools in the Ware County

68^th of 202Ware County among Georgia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	57.9	456 of 1222	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.1	612 of 1238	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.9	427 of 1236	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.7	477 of 1223	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.7	534 of 1220	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.6	526 of 1214	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	69.3	337 of 1234	72.7%	★★★★☆
2018	75.5	269 of 1209	77.8%	★★★★☆
2017	69.3	322 of 1205	73.3%	★★★★☆
2016	64.4	384 of 1233	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2015	79.1	221 of 1240	82.2%	★★★★☆
2014	78.7	209 of 1231	83.0%	★★★★☆
2013	82.1	146 of 1225	88.1%	★★★★☆
2012	83.0	125 of 1201	89.6%	★★★★☆
2011	82.7	152 of 1212	87.5%	★★★★☆
2010	77.9	232 of 1183	80.4%	★★★★☆
2009	72.6	293 of 1133	74.1%	★★★★☆
2008	83.9	120 of 1134	89.4%	★★★★☆
2007	79.2	185 of 1125	83.6%	★★★★☆
2006	78.2	194 of 1101	82.4%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	45.3	414 of 829	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.1	485 of 892	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	56.3	329 of 879	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	42.2	452 of 870	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.0	470 of 876	46.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	49.7	534 of 1189	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.0	665 of 1224	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.9	492 of 1223	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.5	605 of 1212	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.4	652 of 1206	45.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	62.9	392 of 1186	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.7	551 of 1225	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	69.1	333 of 1220	72.7%	★★★★☆
2023	67.1	358 of 1210	70.4%	★★★★☆
2022	61.6	427 of 1209	64.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2022	47.0	192 of 415	53.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2026	69.7	216 of 703	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	61.4	279 of 769	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.6	234 of 772	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	75.7	182 of 775	76.5%	★★★★☆
2022	60.1	298 of 779	61.7%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2026)69th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)67th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)55th percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2022)54th percentile~ school

African American (2026)50th percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Georgia (2025-2026) ?

Science56%+12 vs state

Mathematics46%~ state avg

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, July 16, 2011

I can't say enough good things about Williams Heights! I've had two children in the school for 2 years and our experience has been wonderful. This school strives for excellence in EVERYTHING! The Principal is a remarkable leader, very easy to talk to and is so helpful whenever needed. The staff are all exceptional. The education is superb. We love our school! Close Quote

Schools Near Williams Heights Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2026)				Milestones Assessment Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Williams Heights Elementary School	Public	K-5	705 Dewey St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2399	436	33	13.3	80.3%	139 (31.9%)	226 (51.8%)	25 (5.7%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.2%)	57.9	456^th of 1222 public elementary schools	62.7%		46.1	612^th of 1238 public elementary schools	50.6%	156	33.4	60.5	45.6		55.9	$15,748	$1,149	$14,599
Center Elementary School	Public	K-5	2114 Dorothy St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2366	470	35	13.4	95.7%	109 (23.2%)	269 (57.2%)	49 (10.4%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (8.3%)	47.5	584^th of 1222 public elementary schools	52.2%		46.7	609^th of 1238 public elementary schools	50.8%	25	44.0	61.6	30.3		36.8	$14,702	$1,429	$13,274
Memorial Drive Elementary School	Public	K-5	2580 Ambrose St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2327	346	32	10.8	100.0%	166 (48.0%)	125 (36.1%)	16 (4.6%)	10 (2.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.5%)	55.8	485^th of 1222 public elementary schools	60.3%		51.6	545^th of 1238 public elementary schools	56.0%	60	43.4	46.0	49.2		49.2	$16,914	$2,249	$14,666
Wacona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3101 State St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2362	885	47	18.8	86.4%	510 (57.6%)	240 (27.1%)	78 (8.8%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (5.8%)	39	688^th of 1222 public elementary schools	43.7%		41.6	664^th of 1238 public elementary schools	46.4%	24	24.0	52.1	36.5		38.5	$15,307	$1,411	$13,896
Midway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3244 Midway Church Rd	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 807-0084	484	35	13.9	81.0%	387 (80.0%)	9 (1.9%)	67 (13.8%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.5%)	89.9	128^th of 1222 public elementary schools	89.5%		90.5	127^th of 1238 public elementary schools	89.7%	1	70.4	76.2	57.4		83.6	$14,060	$1,256	$12,804
Ruskin Elementary School	Public	K-5	3550 Valdosta Hwy	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2325	363	31	11.8	100.0%	157 (43.3%)	119 (32.8%)	62 (17.1%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.3%)	72.7	295^th of 1222 public elementary schools	75.9%		59.7	437^th of 1238 public elementary schools	64.7%	142	50.0	54.4	57.6		62.1	$17,519	$2,696	$14,823
Waresboro Elementary School	Public	K-5	3379 W Church St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2393	429	35	12.4	81.8%	242 (56.4%)	104 (24.2%)	48 (11.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.5%)	69	335^th of 1222 public elementary schools	72.6%		58.3	459^th of 1238 public elementary schools	62.9%	124	49.4	57.5	54.8		56.4	$14,764	$1,297	$13,467
Blackshear Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5217 Ga Highway 121	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 449-2088	820	59	13.8	100.0%	537 (65.5%)	124 (15.1%)	91 (11.1%)	3 (0.4%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (7.3%)	71.1	312^th of 1222 public elementary schools	74.5%		73.9	284^th of 1238 public elementary schools	77.1%	28	57.8	73.0	44.7		48.5	$13,957	$1,399	$12,558
Hoboken Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	224 Church St N	Hoboken	31542	Brantley County	Brantley County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 458-2135	551	39	14.1		493 (89.5%)	8 (1.5%)	32 (5.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.9%)	71.8	302^nd of 1222 public elementary schools	75.3%		85.5	180^th of 1238 public elementary schools	85.5%	122	71.8	42.4	49.2	74.1		$13,576	$989	$12,587
Patterson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3414 Drawdy St	Patterson	31557	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 647-5373	465	34	13.7	88.0%	371 (79.8%)	28 (6.0%)	44 (9.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.3%)	81.5	208^th of 1222 public elementary schools	83.0%		87	161^st of 1238 public elementary schools	87.0%	47	85.9	75.0	53.5		49.3	$14,367	$909	$13,458

Frequently Asked Questions about Williams Heights Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Williams Heights Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Williams Heights Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Waycross Middle School
High : Ware County High School

How many students attend Williams Heights Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 436 students attended Williams Heights Elementary School.

What district is Williams Heights Elementary School in?

Ware County

Is Williams Heights Elementary School a good school?

Williams Heights Elementary School ranks 456^th of 1222 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Williams Heights Elementary School?

Students at Williams Heights Elementary School are 52% African American, 32% White, 9% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

Rate Williams Heights Elementary School!

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Latest Georgia data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataAug 6, 2026

2025–26 Milestones Assessment scoresAug 6, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 Milestones Assessment scores (updated)Aug 6, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesFeb 19, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.