Enrollment
606
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Waycross, GA
Waycross Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Waycross Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130543002204
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waycross Middle School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Georgia schools.
- #3 of 10
- public schools in Waycross · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 86.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Waycross Middle School has class sizes smaller than 70% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waycross Middle School ranks #3 of 10 public schools in Waycross, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.3%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waycross Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waycross Middle School
Waycross Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Waycross, Georgia, enrolling 606 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 86.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 606 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 588 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #57, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (48%) and White (37%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 303 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 392 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 606 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Waycross's middle schools, it stands alongside Ware County Middle School (752 students): Waycross Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 13:1).
Ware County also operates Ware County High School (1,633 students) and Wacona Elementary School (885 students) alongside Waycross Middle 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 Waycross Middle School compares
Waycross Middle 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 10% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.3% | ▲ 42% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 606 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
606
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 30% in Georgia - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.4%
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
$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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 303 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
246
in-school suspensions + 146 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 40.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 64.7 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 48.3%
White 36.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: African American at 48.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.3, Waycross Middle 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 Waycross Middle 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 Waycross 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 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ware County Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Center Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Williams Heights Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waycross Middle 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
- 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.
Similar middle 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 (~606 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waycross Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Waycross Middle 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 Waycross Middle School
How many students attend Waycross Middle School?
Waycross Middle School has 606 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Waycross, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waycross Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waycross Middle School is 12.9:1, which is 10% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 18% 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 Waycross Middle School?
86.3% of students at Waycross Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waycross Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Waycross Middle School is African American at 48.3% of enrollment, in Waycross, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waycross Middle School?
Waycross Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Waycross Middle School rank among public schools in Waycross?
By Resource Investment Index, Waycross Middle School ranks #3 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.
Is Waycross Middle School a good school?
Waycross Middle School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Georgia schools. 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 Waycross Middle 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.