Dawson 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.

Dawsonville, Georgia - 7 schools

An equity score of 32/100 ranks Dawson County #171 of 216 districts in Georgia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,767 per pupil, Dawson County ranks #55 of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending (Georgia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,906
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$14,767
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dawson County operates 7 public schools serving 3,906 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Georgia. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary 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 Dawson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,767 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 61.1% local, 29.7% state, and 9.2% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 32/100, ranked #171 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 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 529.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 18.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.8% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Black's Mill Elementary School, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.

Its largest campus is Dawson County High School, enrolling 880 students (20% of the district's total enrollment).

Dawson County High School accounts for 20.5% of all Dawson County student enrollment

That concentration means Dawson County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Dawson County student-counselor ratio is 530:1 — 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

Dawson County chronic absenteeism rate is 18.1% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Dawson County is typically wider than the Dawson County-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.2%
Federal
29.7%
State
61.1%
Local

Funding Equity

32
Equity Score
171 / 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 7 schools in Dawson County.

White 73.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.1%
African American 2.5%
Asian 5.0%
Multiracial 3.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 41.5/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Black's Mill Elementary School 65.3
  2. 2 Riverview Elementary School 44.9
  3. 3 Dawson County Junior High 41.4
  4. 4 Kilough Elementary School 40.8
  5. 5 Dawson County Middle School 37.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
529.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Dawson County

School Enrollment
Dawson County High School
880
Robinson Elementary School
648
Dawson County Middle School
641
Dawson County Junior High
603
Black's Mill Elementary School
570
Riverview Elementary School
493
Kilough Elementary School
461

How Dawson County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Georgia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Peach County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Stephens County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
White County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Burke County Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Emanuel County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Compare Dawson 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 Dawson County?

Dawson County has 7 schools, including 1 high, 4 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,906 students.

How much does Dawson County spend per student?

Dawson County spends $14,767 per student. The district has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #171 in Georgia.

What is the demographic composition of Dawson County?

Dawson County students are 73.8% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 2.5% African American, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dawson County?

Dawson County has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #171 out of 216 districts in Georgia.