Atkinson County

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Pearson, Georgia - 4 schools

An equity score of 77/100 ranks Atkinson County #19 of 216 districts in Georgia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,014 per pupil, Atkinson County ranks #43 of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending (Georgia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,630
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$16,014
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Atkinson County operates 4 public schools serving 1,630 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Georgia. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Atkinson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,014 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending. See how Georgia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 18.5% local, 57.5% state, and 24.0% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 77/100, ranked #19 of 216 in Georgia against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 392.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 36.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 41.6% Hispanic or Latino, 40.5% White, 15.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Willacoochee Elementary School, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.

Its largest campus is Pearson Elementary School, enrolling 621 students (40% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Willacoochee Elementary School, at 167 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Pearson Elementary School accounts for 38.1% of all Atkinson County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Atkinson County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Atkinson County school enrollment varies 3.7× across entities

Atkinson County school enrollment ranges from 167 students (lowest) to 621 students (highest), a spread of 454 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Atkinson County reports 74.5% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Atkinson County student-counselor ratio is 393:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Atkinson County chronic absenteeism rate is 36.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

24.0%
Federal
57.5%
State
18.5%
Local

Funding Equity

77
Equity Score
19 / 216
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Atkinson County.

White 40.5%
Hispanic or Latino 41.6%
African American 15.9%
Multiracial 1.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 62.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Atkinson County's schools, above the Georgia average of 50.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Willacoochee Elementary School 66.0
  2. 2 Atkinson County High School 63.6
  3. 3 Atkinson County Middle School 62.5
  4. 4 Pearson Elementary School 59.7

Programs & Resources

392.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Atkinson County

School Enrollment
Pearson Elementary School
621
Atkinson County High School
447
Atkinson County Middle School
336
Willacoochee Elementary School
167

How Atkinson County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Georgia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Irwin County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Early County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Telfair County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Charlton County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Crawford County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Atkinson County's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Georgia

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Gwinnett County
181,814 students · 140 schools · $14,348/pupil
Compare vs Atkinson County →
Cobb County
106,703 students · 110 schools · $14,680/pupil
Compare vs Atkinson County →
Dekalb County
92,368 students · 131 schools · $15,368/pupil
Compare vs Atkinson County →
Fulton County
89,935 students · 108 schools · $15,183/pupil
Compare vs Atkinson County →
Forsyth County
54,077 students · 42 schools · $11,993/pupil
Compare vs Atkinson County →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Atkinson County

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Gwinnett County →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Atkinson County?

Atkinson County has 4 schools, including 2 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,630 students.

How much does Atkinson County spend per student?

Atkinson County spends $16,014 per student. The district has an equity score of 77/100, ranking #19 in Georgia.

What is the demographic composition of Atkinson County?

Atkinson County students are 41.6% Hispanic or Latino, 40.5% White, 15.9% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Atkinson County?

Atkinson County has an equity score of 77/100, ranking #19 out of 216 districts in Georgia.