Washington 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.

Sandersville, Georgia - 4 schools

An equity score of 45/100 ranks Washington County #127 of 216 districts in Georgia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,904 per pupil, Washington County ranks #131 of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending (Georgia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,827
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$12,904
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Washington County operates 4 public schools serving 2,827 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Georgia. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 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 Washington County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,904 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 38.7% local, 36.4% state, and 24.8% 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 45/100, ranked #127 of 216 in Georgia against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), a 665.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 27.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.0% African American, 23.9% White, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Ridge Road Primary School, with a diversity index of 48.4/100.

Its largest campus is Washington County High School, enrolling 905 students (34% of the district's total enrollment).

Washington County High School accounts for 32.0% of all Washington County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Washington 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

Washington County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 86.8% 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 — including this one — 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

Washington County student-counselor ratio is 665:1 — 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

Washington County chronic absenteeism rate is 27.4% — 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 Washington County is typically wider than the Washington 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?

24.8%
Federal
36.4%
State
38.7%
Local

Funding Equity

45
Equity Score
127 / 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 4 schools in Washington County.

White 23.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
African American 69.0%
Multiracial 4.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 46.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Ridge Road Primary School 48.4
  2. 2 Ridge Road Elementary School 47.1
  3. 3 T. J. Elder Middle School 45.5
  4. 4 Washington County High School 44.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
665.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Washington County

School Enrollment
Washington County High School
905
Ridge Road Primary School
588
Ridge Road Elementary School
585
T. J. Elder Middle School
583

How Washington County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Georgia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lamar County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Banks County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Thomasville City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Fannin County Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Dodge County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Compare Washington 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 Washington County?

Washington County has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,827 students.

How much does Washington County spend per student?

Washington County spends $12,904 per student. The district has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #127 in Georgia.

What is the demographic composition of Washington County?

Washington County students are 69.0% African American, 23.9% White, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Washington County?

Washington County has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #127 out of 216 districts in Georgia.