Schools in Zip Code 31503

Zip code 31503, covering the Waycross area in Ware County, Georgia, is served by 7 schools—4 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools—educating roughly 4,415 students, with all traditional public schools belonging to the Ware County district.

For families, the standout elementary options are Waresboro Elementary School and Ruskin Elementary School. Waresboro is the highest-ranked elementary in the area (73rd percentile statewide) with strong math scores—57.5% proficiency in 4th grade and 54.8% in 5th grade, both well above state averages. Ruskin, meanwhile, showed the most dramatic improvement, jumping 205 ranking spots over three years to the 76th percentile, and boasts the area's best 5th grade science score at 62.1% proficiency. Memorial Drive Elementary School also performs solidly, exceeding state averages in 5th grade math and science. Wacona Elementary School lags notably behind its peers—its 3rd grade math proficiency is just 24%, nearly half the state average—despite having the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the area.

At the secondary level, Ware County Middle School achieves a remarkable 100% proficiency rate in Algebra I End of Course assessments, far exceeding the state's 48.1%, though its other middle school math scores trail state averages. Ware County High School is a clear success story, with a 95.4% graduation rate (8 points above the state), a 1.6% dropout rate, and above-average scores in Algebra I, Biology, and US History. The high school improved its ranking from the 59th to 75th percentile in one year. The Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center is a specialized facility with only 7 students and is not comparable to traditional schools. Overall, this is a district on the rise, though chronic absenteeism—especially at the high school (24.6%)—remains a concern worth watching.