White students make up largest share of Oglethorpe County schools student body in 2024-25

Richard Woods State School Superintendent
Richard Woods State School Superintendent
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White students were the largest ethnic group in Oglethorpe County schools in the 2024-25 school year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

Of the 2,233 students attending Oglethorpe County schools, 63.5% were white. Black students were the second-largest ethnic group, making up 15.8% of enrollment.

In the previous school year, white students were also the largest group in Oglethorpe County, accounting for 62.1% of the total enrollment.

Total enrollment in Oglethorpe County schools declined by 0.5% in the 2024-25 school year compared with the previous year.

More than 1.7 million students were enrolled in Georgia’s public schools, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report. Enrollment was highest in elementary grades, with 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by middle school with 388,733 students (22.7%), and high school with 539,092 students (31.4%).

Chronic absenteeism remains a major issue in Georgia schools post-pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing 10% or more of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. In response, GaDOE launched a statewide initiative including a real-time attendance dashboard, a public awareness campaign, and targeted support for high-need districts to boost daily attendance.

In 2025, Georgia lawmakers passed a bill updating school attendance laws to ban expulsion solely for absenteeism. The law also adds new reporting requirements and aligns with programs that help students earn diplomas through alternative paths.

As of 2026, Georgia had an average student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 14:1, which is better than the national average of 15:1.

Ethnicities in Oglethorpe County in 2024-25 School Year

Oglethorpe County Students’ Most Prevalent Ethnicity by School in 2024-25 School Year

School nameMost prevalent ethnic group% of Total Student PopulationTotal Enrollment
Oglethorpe County High SchoolWhite61%663
Oglethorpe County Middle SchoolWhite61%525
Oglethorpe County Elementary SchoolWhite66%523
Oglethorpe County Primary SchoolWhite67%522
Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia Department of Education. The source data can be found here.



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