Richmond 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.

Augusta, Georgia - 52 schools

An equity score of 58/100 ranks Richmond County #77 of 216 districts in Georgia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,096 per pupil, Richmond County ranks #75 of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending (Georgia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

29,589
Total Enrollment
52
Schools
$14,096
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Richmond County operates 52 public schools serving 29,589 students, placing it among the larger districts in Georgia. The school portfolio breaks down into 35 combined, 8 high, 8 middle, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a sizeable portfolio 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 Richmond County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,096 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 35.6% local, 40.0% state, and 24.4% 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 58/100, ranked #77 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.

Academic infrastructure includes 12 of 52 schools offering Advanced Placement (129 AP courses district-wide), a 389.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 39.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.6% African American, 12.1% White, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Freedom Park Elementary, with a diversity index of 73.6/100.

Its largest campus is Academy of Richmond County High School, enrolling 1,178 students (4% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Lighthouse Care Center of Augusta, at 32 students, a 37x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Richmond County school enrollment varies 37× across entities

Richmond County school enrollment ranges from 32 students (lowest) to 1,178 students (highest), a spread of 1,146 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Richmond County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 93.7% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Richmond County student-counselor ratio is 390:1 — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Richmond County chronic absenteeism rate is 39.1% — 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?

24.4%
Federal
40.0%
State
35.6%
Local

Funding Equity

58
Equity Score
77 / 216
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 52 schools in Richmond County.

White 12.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
African American 74.6%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 4.9%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 37.5/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Freedom Park Elementary 73.6
  2. 2 Davidson Magnet School 65.7
  3. 3 Blythe Elementary School 64.6
  4. 4 Mcbean Elementary School 63.4
  5. 5 Goshen Elementary School 61.9

Programs & Resources

12 / 52
Schools with AP
129 AP courses total
389.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Richmond County

School Enrollment
Academy of Richmond County High School
1,178
Cross Creek High School
1,152
Westside High School
1,088
Hephzibah High School
1,041
Butler High School
878
Glenn Hills High School
839
Pine Hill Middle School
757
Davidson Magnet School
747
Laney High School
736
Langford Middle School
731
Hephzibah Middle School
728
Lake Forest Hills Elementary School
719
Glenn Hills Middle School
706
Belair K-8 School
675
Richmond Hill K-8
667
Warren Road Elementary School
665
Sue Reynolds Elementary School
652
Wheeless Road Elementary School
649
Walker Traditional Elementary School
646
Johnson Magnet
640
Josey High School
625
Tutt Middle School
617
Freedom Park Elementary
608
Diamond Lakes Elementary School
579
Hephzibah Elementary School
574
Deer Chase Elementary School
555
Spirit Creek Middle School
532
Murphey Middle School
512
W.S. Hornsby Elementary School
508
Dorothy Hains Elementary School
479
Wilkinson Gardens Elementary School
472
Meadowbrook Elementary School
447
Goshen Elementary School
437
Garrett Elementary School
435
Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School
433
Barton Chapel Elementary School
427
Tobacco Road Elementary School
411
Monte Sano Elementary School
410
Merry Elementary School
397
Gracewood Elementary School
393
W.S. Hornsby Middle School
391
Bayvale Elementary School
389
Mcbean Elementary School
384
Glenn Hills Elementary School
370
Copeland Elementary School
369
Lamar - Milledge Elementary School
366
Jenkins-White Elementary School
336
Blythe Elementary School
333
Willis Foreman Elementary School
332
Jamestown Elementary School
327
Terrace Manor Elementary School
254
Lighthouse Care Center of Augusta
32

How Richmond County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Georgia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Muscogee County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Columbia County Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Houston County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Paulding County Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Hall County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Richmond 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 Richmond County?

Richmond County has 52 schools, including 8 high, 8 middle, 35 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 29,589 students.

How much does Richmond County spend per student?

Richmond County spends $14,096 per student. The district has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #77 in Georgia.

What is the demographic composition of Richmond County?

Richmond County students are 74.6% African American, 12.1% White, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 52 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Richmond County?

Richmond County has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #77 out of 216 districts in Georgia.