- Enrollment
- 1,633
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Waycross, GA
Ware County Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Ware County Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130543001779
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ware County Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #6 of 10
- public schools in Waycross · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- students per teacher
- 80.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Ware County Middle School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ware County Middle School ranks #6 of 10 public schools in Waycross, GA.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-44 students YoY
Ware County Middle School shrank from 783 students in 2022-23 to 739 in 2023-24 (-5.6%).
Teacher FTE added 58.3 → 62.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-44 students YoY 130543001779 · Waycross, GA Middle · MID · TRAD
752 enr · 13:1 · 80.3% lunch · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Ware County High School (1,633 students)
Ware County Middle School shrank from 783 students in 2022-23 to 739 in 2023-24 (-5.6%). Teacher FTE added 58.3 → 62.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Georgia schools → · Find another →
Ware County Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Ware County Hi
Ware County High School
1,633 students
- Wacona Element
Wacona Elementary School
885 students
- This school
Ware County Middle School
752 students
- Waycross Middl 606
Waycross Middle School
606 students
- Center Element 470
Center Elementary School
470 students
- Williams Heigh 436
Williams Heights Elementary School
436 students
What this shows Ware County Middle School reports 752 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ware County Middle School compares
Ware County Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13:1 | ▼ 10% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.3% | ▲ 32% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 752 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
752
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
80.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
13:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 32% in Georgia - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,387
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $14,615
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 297 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
224
in-school suspensions + 133 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 29.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 47.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 53.3%
African American 27.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%
Two or More 7.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 53.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.2, Ware County Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Ware County reports $15,387 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ware County Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wacona Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Waycross Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Center Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Williams Heights Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ware County Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 470
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle schools in Waycross
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~752 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ware County Middle School
How many students attend Ware County Middle School?
Ware County Middle School has 752 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Waycross, GA. CCD year-over-year: 783 (2022-23) → 739 (2023-24), down 44.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ware County Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ware County Middle School is 13:1, which is 10% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 17% 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 Ware County Middle School?
80.3% of students at Ware County Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ware County Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Ware County Middle School is White at 53.3% of enrollment, in Waycross, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ware County Middle School?
Ware County Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ware County Middle School rank among public schools in Waycross?
By Resource Investment Index, Ware County Middle School ranks #6 of 10 public 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 public schools in Waycross on the city page.
What other schools are in Ware County?
Besides Ware County Middle School, Ware County also operates Ware County High School (1,633 students), Wacona Elementary School (885 students), and Waycross Middle School (606 students). See the Ware County district page for the complete list.