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Ruskin Elementary School

Q: Is Ruskin Elementary School a good school?

Ruskin Elementary School ranks 437 th of 1238 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

437^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,238 Georgia Elementary Schools

Better than 65% of Georgia elementary schools

Summary

Ruskin Elementary School is a public elementary school in Waycross, Georgia, serving 374 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Ware County School District, which is ranked 89 out of 206 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite having higher spending per student ($10,466 in 2018-2019) and a lower student-teacher ratio (11.1 to 12.0) compared to nearby schools, Ruskin Elementary has consistently performed below the Ware County and Georgia state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics on the Milestones Assessments. For example, in 2024-2025, only 25.9% of 3rd graders at Ruskin were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 30.5% in Ware County and 34.9% statewide. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has steadily declined from 443 out of 1,205 Georgia elementary schools in 2016-2017 to 437 out of 1,238 in 2024-2025, with its star rating dropping from 3 to 2 during this period.

One notable factor is Ruskin Elementary's extremely high free/reduced lunch rate, reaching 100% in the 2023-2024 school year, significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 67.86% to 95.74%. This may indicate socioeconomic challenges that the school and district need to address to support student learning. However, Ruskin Elementary has shown relatively stronger performance in 5th grade Science, with proficiency rates exceeding the Ware County and Georgia averages in recent years, which could be an area of focus and potential strength for the school.

363

Students ?

11.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,519

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3550 Valdosta Hwy
Waycross, GA 31503

(912) 287-2325

District: Ware County

Students who attend Ruskin Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ware County Middle School
High:	Ware County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.3%

African American:

32.8%

Hispanic:

17.1%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Ruskin Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 60th percentile in 2015 → 65th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 5 percentile points since 2015

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Ware County

✓Above the Georgia median (65th percentile)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school46%

District avg40%

Georgia avg42%

437^th of 1,238

Georgia public elementary schools ?

Top 35%▲ up 5 pts since 2015

From top 40% (2015) to top 35% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 6Elementary Schools in the Ware County

89^th of 206Ware 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
2025	59.7	437 of 1238	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.4	500 of 1248	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.0	474 of 1242	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.9	564 of 1244	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.2	631 of 1214	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	16.5	1041 of 1234	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.2	768 of 1209	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	58.5	443 of 1205	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	53.1	520 of 1233	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	55.8	500 of 1240	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	61.8	556 of 1231	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	59.3	608 of 1225	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2012	53.7	678 of 1201	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	54.5	650 of 1212	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	65.9	444 of 1183	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	49.1	650 of 1133	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2008	34.7	830 of 1134	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	43.1	732 of 1125	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2006	39.3	766 of 1101	30.4%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Georgia (2024-2025) ?

Science60%+16 vs state

Mathematics50%+4 vs state

English Language Arts36%-3 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

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3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, July 29, 2018

Ruskin is a great school with awesome teachers who truly care about the students and their achievements.
#RiseUpRuskin Close Quote

Schools Near Ruskin Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2025)				Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2025)				Milestones Assessment Science (2025)	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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	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
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%)	59.7	437^th of 1238 public elementary schools	64.7%		55.4	500^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.9%	63	25.9	40.0	40.0		53.7	52.7	44.3		60.0	$17,519	$2,696	$14,823
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%)	46.1	612^th of 1238 public elementary schools	50.6%		62.9	427^th of 1248 public elementary schools	65.8%	185	33.3	34.6	39.7		41.0	28.2	45.6		44.1	$15,748	$1,149	$14,599
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%)	58.3	459^th of 1238 public elementary schools	62.9%		69.3	351^st of 1248 public elementary schools	71.9%	108	35.5	34.4	33.8		52.6	62.3	43.2		51.4	$14,764	$1,297	$13,467
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%)	41.6	664^th of 1238 public elementary schools	46.4%		55.1	504^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.6%	160	29.9	42.6	29.6		27.1	65.3	28.4		23.5	$15,307	$1,411	$13,896
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%)	46.7	609^th of 1238 public elementary schools	50.8%		38.7	715^th of 1248 public elementary schools	42.7%	106	26.5	46.6	43.5		32.5	49.3	33.3		39.1	$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%)	51.6	545^th of 1238 public elementary schools	56.0%		52.4	536^th of 1248 public elementary schools	57.1%	9	31.3	39.3	36.4		42.2	47.3	45.5		45.5	$16,914	$2,249	$14,666
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%)	90.5	127^th of 1238 public elementary schools	89.7%		89.5	142^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	88.6%	15	56.7	54.1	75.0		86.7	63.9	60.3		83.8	$14,060	$1,256	$12,804
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%)	73.9	284^th of 1238 public elementary schools	77.1%		70.5	340^th of 1248 public elementary schools	72.8%	56	40.0	59.0	42.3		59.2	70.5	47.2		59.3	$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%)	85.5	180^th of 1238 public elementary schools	85.5%		83.3	196^th of 1248 public elementary schools	84.3%	16	40.5	47.1	78.8	60.9	77.0	61.8	56.1	79.7	76.9	$13,576	$989	$12,587
Clinch County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1Panther Way	Homerville	31634	Clinch County	Clinch County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 487-5385	625	41	15.4	100.0%	326 (52.2%)	203 (32.5%)	42 (6.7%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	48 (7.7%)	32	807^th of 1238 public elementary schools	34.8%		46.1	610^th of 1248 public elementary schools	51.1%	197	22.2	36.6	28.9		35.4	37.6	27.7		26.5	$14,493	$1,457	$13,037

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruskin Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Ruskin Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ruskin Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ware County Middle School
High : Ware County High School

What is the racial makeup of Ruskin Elementary School?

Students at Ruskin Elementary School are 43% White, 33% African American, 17% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

Is Ruskin Elementary School a good school?

Ruskin Elementary School ranks 437^th of 1238 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ruskin Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 363 students attended Ruskin Elementary School.

What district is Ruskin Elementary School in?

Ware County

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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.