Stephens County

Toccoa, Georgia — 6 schools

3,840
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$14,547
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Stephens County operates 6 public schools serving 3,840 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Georgia. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 3,855 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Stephens County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,547 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 32.3% local, 48.4% state, and 19.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $71,292 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 54/100, ranked #96 of 216 in Georgia against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (10 AP courses district-wide), a 454.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.9% White, 11.9% African American, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Stephens County High School accounts for 29.4% of all Stephens County student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Stephens 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

Stephens County school enrollment varies 3.8× across entities

Stephens County school enrollment ranges from 295 students (lowest) to 1,133 students (highest), a spread of 838 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

Stephens County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 69.1% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants 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

Stephens County student-counselor ratio is 455:1 — 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

Stephens County chronic absenteeism rate is 27.9% — 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 Stephens County is typically wider than the Stephens 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?

19.3%
Federal
48.4%
State
32.3%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
96 / 216
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Stephens County county, where this district is located.

$762
Studio/mo
$767
1 BR/mo
$1,006
2 BR/mo
$1,275
3 BR/mo
$1,688
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$71,292
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 6 schools in Stephens County.

White 69.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
African American 11.9%
Asian 1.2%
Multiracial 10.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
10 AP courses total
454.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Stephens County

School Enrollment
Stephens County High School
1,133
Stephens County Middle School
848
Toccoa Elementary School
605
Liberty Elementary School
571
Big a Elementary School
403
Stephens County Fifth Grade Academy
295

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 · $14,002/pupil
Compare vs Stephens County →
Cobb County
106,703 students · 110 schools · $14,611/pupil
Compare vs Stephens County →
DeKalb County
92,368 students · 131 schools · $16,212/pupil
Compare vs Stephens County →
Fulton County
89,935 students · 108 schools · $15,569/pupil
Compare vs Stephens County →
Forsyth County
54,077 students · 42 schools · $12,614/pupil
Compare vs Stephens County →

Compare Stephens 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 Stephens County?

Stephens County has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 1 other. Total enrollment is 3,840 students.

How much does Stephens County spend per student?

Stephens County spends $14,547 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #96 in Georgia.

What is the average teacher salary in Stephens County?

The average teacher salary in Stephens County is $71,292 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Stephens County?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Stephens County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Stephens County?

Stephens County students are 69.9% White, 11.9% African American, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Stephens County?

Stephens County has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #96 out of 216 districts in Georgia. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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