Summary:
Zip code 31501 in Waycross, Georgia, is served by two K-5 elementary schools within the Ware County School District, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks in the 67th percentile statewide.
Williams Heights Elementary School stands out as the stronger academic performer, showing a remarkable upward trajectory by jumping 158 positions in statewide ranking to the 63rd percentile. Its 5th-grade science proficiency (55.9%) and 4th-grade math proficiency (60.5%) both exceed state averages by substantial margins. The school also demonstrates consistent performance across grade levels, with 5th-grade scores actually surpassing 3rd-grade scores. Center Elementary School presents a more mixed picture—it excels in 4th-grade math (61.6%, well above the state's 50.1%) but struggles significantly in 5th-grade math (30.3%) and science (36.8%). Center Elementary also serves a higher-poverty population (95.74% free/reduced lunch) compared to Williams Heights (80.28%), which may help contextualize some performance gaps.
Both schools share similar student-teacher ratios (13.4:1 and 13.3:1) and maintain chronic absenteeism rates below the district average of 19.5%. Interestingly, Williams Heights achieves superior outcomes while spending about $1,046 less per student than Center Elementary ($14,702 vs. $15,748), suggesting factors beyond funding drive success. The consistent 4th-grade math strength at both schools points to a possible targeted instructional focus at that grade level, though this momentum doesn't carry into 5th grade at Center Elementary. Williams Heights shows significant year-over-year volatility in some subjects—4th-grade math swung from 28.2% to 60.5%—so parents should monitor whether recent gains represent sustainable improvement or cohort-specific results. Overall, Williams Heights offers a model for maintaining academic momentum, while Center Elementary's 4th-grade success deserves attention as a potential strength to replicate across other grades.
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