Barrow 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Winder, Georgia - 16 schools

An equity score of 35/100 ranks Barrow County #160 of 216 districts in Georgia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,318 per pupil, Barrow County ranks #170 of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending (Georgia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

14,882
Total Enrollment
16
Schools
$12,318
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Barrow County operates 16 public schools serving 14,882 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Georgia. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 combined, 4 middle, 2 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Barrow County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,318 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending. See how Georgia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 37.1% local, 46.9% state, and 16.0% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 35/100, ranked #160 of 216 in Georgia against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 16 schools offering Advanced Placement (22 AP courses district-wide), a 583.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 35.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 44.8% White, 28.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Yargo Elementary School, with a diversity index of 73.1/100.

Its largest campus is Apalachee High School, enrolling 1,949 students (13% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is County Line Elementary School, at 573 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Barrow County school enrollment varies 3.4× across entities

Barrow County school enrollment ranges from 573 students (lowest) to 1,949 students (highest), a spread of 1,376 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 NCES Common Core of Data

Barrow County student-counselor ratio is 583:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Barrow County chronic absenteeism rate is 35.5% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.0%
Federal
46.9%
State
37.1%
Local

Funding Equity

35
Equity Score
160 / 216
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 16 schools in Barrow County.

White 44.8%
Hispanic or Latino 28.7%
African American 15.1%
Asian 4.7%
Multiracial 6.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 67.8/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Yargo Elementary School 73.1
  2. 2 Winder Elementary School 73.1
  3. 3 Kennedy Elementary School 71.2
  4. 4 Apalachee High School 69.8
  5. 5 Westside Middle School 69.6

Programs & Resources

3 / 16
Schools with AP
22 AP courses total
583.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Barrow County

School Enrollment
Apalachee High School
1,949
Winder-Barrow High School
1,869
Russell Middle School
973
Haymon-Morris Middle School
973
Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy
967
Holsenbeck Elementary School
813
Westside Middle School
793
Yargo Elementary School
782
Statham Elementary School
776
Kennedy Elementary School
764
Bear Creek Middle School
752
Auburn Elementary School
678
Winder Elementary School
656
Bramlett Elementary School
654
Bethlehem Elementary School
641
County Line Elementary School
573

How Barrow County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Georgia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Walton County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Effingham County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Rockdale County Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Bartow County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Carroll County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Barrow 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 · $13,113/pupil
Compare vs Barrow County →
Cobb County
106,703 students · 110 schools · $13,203/pupil
Compare vs Barrow County →
Dekalb County
92,368 students · 131 schools · $15,594/pupil
Compare vs Barrow County →
Fulton County
89,935 students · 108 schools · $13,999/pupil
Compare vs Barrow County →
Forsyth County
54,077 students · 42 schools · $10,928/pupil
Compare vs Barrow County →

Compare Barrow 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 Barrow County?

Barrow County has 16 schools, including 2 high, 4 middle, 10 combined. Total enrollment is 14,882 students.

How much does Barrow County spend per student?

Barrow County spends $12,318 per student. The district has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #160 in Georgia.

What is the demographic composition of Barrow County?

Barrow County students are 44.8% White, 28.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% African American, 4.7% Asian, averaged across 16 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Barrow County?

Barrow County has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #160 out of 216 districts in Georgia.