In the 2024-25 school year, Dove Creek Elementary School’s Hispanic enrollment reached 21 students, an increase of 23.5% compared with the prior year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.
The school reported 530 total students enrolled for the same year. Hispanic students accounted for 4% of the overall student body, making them the school’s second-largest demographic group.
Located in the Oconee County School District, Dove Creek Elementary’s district headquarters are in Watkinsville.
Out of the 11 schools in the Oconee County School District, North Oconee High School led in Hispanic student enrollment for 2024-25, with 114 students on record.
As reported by the National Center for Education Statistics, Georgia’s public school racial and ethnic composition in recent data was about 36.4% Black, 35.9% white, 18.1% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 4.6% multiracial, 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Pacific Islander.
Chronic absenteeism continues to challenge Georgia’s schools after the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing at least 10% of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. To address the issue, GaDOE started a statewide initiative that features a real-time attendance dashboard, a public awareness effort, and targeted resources for districts with high absenteeism to increase daily attendance.
Georgia lawmakers updated attendance laws in 2025, prohibiting expulsion for absenteeism alone and requiring additional reporting. The changes also coordinate with efforts helping students complete diplomas via alternative program routes.
As of 2026, Georgia averaged a student-to-teacher ratio of roughly 14:1, compared with the national average of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total Hispanic students | % of Hispanic students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 548 | 27 | 5% |
| 2019-20 | 602 | 30 | 5% |
| 2020-21 | 583 | 29 | 5% |
| 2021-22 | 655 | 39 | 6% |
| 2022-23 | 648 | 38 | 6% |
| 2023-24 | 568 | 17 | 3% |
| 2024-25 | 530 | 21 | 4% |
