Enrollment
470
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waycross, GA
Center Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Center Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 130543001395
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Center Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Waycross · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 93.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Center Elementary School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Center Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Waycross, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.8%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Center Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Center Elementary School
Center Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Waycross, Georgia, enrolling 470 students.
At 13.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Georgia median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 93.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 470 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 459 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #81.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and White (23%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 470 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Waycross's elementary schools, it stands alongside Williams Heights Elementary School (436 students): Center Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.8:1 vs 11.5:1).
Ware County also operates Ware County High School (1,633 students) and Wacona Elementary School (885 students) alongside Center Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Center Elementary School compares
Center Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 4% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.8% | ▲ 55% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 470 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
470
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 45% in Georgia - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,213
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 470 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 88 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 57.2%
White 23.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.4%
Two or More 8.3%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 57.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.1, Center Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ware County, which includes Center Elementary School.
$14,213
Per student
+3%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.7%
State 52.1%
Federal 22.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Center Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wacona Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ware County Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Waycross Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Williams Heights Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Center Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,633
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Waycross
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Williams Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
436 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Waresboro Elementary School
Standard public school
429 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Ruskin Elementary School
Standard public school
363 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Memorial Drive Elementary School
Standard public school
346 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~470 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Center Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Center Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Ware County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Center Elementary School
How many students attend Center Elementary School?
Center Elementary School has 470 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waycross, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Center Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Center Elementary School is 13.8:1, which is 4% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Center Elementary School?
93.8% of students at Center Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Center Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Center Elementary School is African American at 57.2% of enrollment, in Waycross, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Center Elementary School?
Center Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Center Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Waycross?
By Resource Investment Index, Center Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Waycross, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Waycross on the city page.
Is Center Elementary School a good school?
Center Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Ware County?
Besides Center Elementary School, Ware County also operates Ware County High School (1,633 students), Wacona Elementary School (885 students), and Ware County Middle School (752 students). See the Ware County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.