Athens Reporter

There were 2,157 first grade students enrolled in Barrow County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 4.9% more than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Kennedy Elementary School welcomed the largest number of first grade students among county schools, registering 274 students during the 2022-23 school year.

Within Barrow County schools, the highest student count was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in 11th grade.

Statewide, Barrow County ranked 28th in enrollment numbers, with a total of 28,670 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was ranked 30th the year before.

While enrollment in Georgia inches closer to pre-pandemic levels, chronic absenteeism remains a serious challenge. In 2023, a significant portion of students (23%) missed 10% or more of their classes. Although this is slightly better than the peak of 25% in 2022, it's still nearly double the pre-pandemic rate of 13% recorded in 2019.

School name	# of 1st Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Kennedy Elementary School	274	15.6%	1,762
Statham Elementary School	261	17.8%	1,468
Bethlehem Elementary School	259	16.9%	1,529
Yargo Elementary School	248	14.5%	1,711
Holsenbeck Elementary School	248	16.1%	1,545
Winder Elementary School	241	19.5%	1,237
Auburn Elementary School	232	16.3%	1,420
Bramlett Elementary School	228	18.1%	1,257
County Line Elementary School	166	15.3%	1,087