Commerce Elementary School reports 38 African American students enrolled for 2024-25

In the 2024-25 school year, Commerce Elementary School registered 38 African American students—a 22.6% increase from the prior year—based on reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Total enrollment at the school reached 324 students in 2024-25. African American students accounted for 12% of all enrollees, making them the third-largest demographic group at the school.

Commerce Elementary School operates within the Commerce City School District, whose central office is located in Commerce.

Commerce High School had the largest number of African American students within the Commerce City School District during the 2024-25 period, enrolling 60 students.

State data indicates more than 1.7 million students attended Georgia’s public schools, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report. The largest enrollment was at the elementary level, accounting for 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by middle school with 388,733 students (22.7%) and high school at 539,092 students (31.4%).

Georgia schools continue to face challenges with chronic absenteeism after the pandemic, as 20.7% of students missed at least 10% of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. GaDOE introduced a statewide campaign that offers a live attendance dashboard, a public information drive, and targeted assistance for districts needing improved attendance rates.

In 2025, state lawmakers revised attendance laws, prohibiting expulsion for absenteeism alone. The changes also establish new reporting standards and support programs providing alternate pathways to diplomas.

Georgia’s student-to-teacher ratio in 2026 was about 14:1, below the national average of 15:1, as reported by Public School Review.