In the 2024-25 school year, Blakeney Elementary School had 460 African American students enrolled, reflecting a 6.2% increase over the prior year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.
The school’s total enrollment reached 719 students for 2024-25. African American students represented 64% of the student body, remaining the school’s largest demographic group.
Blakeney Elementary School operates within Burke County School District, which has its central office in Waynesboro.
Out of the five schools in the Burke County School District, Burke County High School reported the highest African American enrollment in 2024-25 with 670 students.
Statewide, more than 1.7 million students attended Georgia’s public schools, as detailed in the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report. Elementary grades made up the largest share, with 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by 388,733 middle school students (22.7%) and 539,092 high school students (31.4%).
Chronic absenteeism continues to challenge Georgia schools following the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing at least 10% of school days in 2024, the Georgia Department of Education reported. In response, GaDOE introduced a statewide plan featuring a real-time attendance dashboard, a public awareness campaign, and targeted assistance for districts with higher needs to improve daily attendance.
In 2025, state lawmakers updated Georgia’s school attendance laws to prohibit expulsion solely based on absenteeism. The law introduces new reporting requirements and supports alternative diploma programs.
By 2026, Georgia reported an average student-teacher ratio of roughly 14:1, better than the national average of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total African American students | % of African American students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 856 | 564 | 66% |
| 2011-12 | 874 | 568 | 65% |
| 2012-13 | 809 | 509 | 63% |
| 2013-14 | 828 | 538 | 65% |
| 2014-15 | 816 | 538 | 66% |
| 2015-16 | 802 | 545 | 68% |
| 2016-17 | 826 | 569 | 69% |
| 2017-18 | 793 | 539 | 68% |
| 2018-19 | 789 | 528 | 67% |
| 2019-20 | 780 | 499 | 64% |
| 2020-21 | 738 | 464 | 63% |
| 2021-22 | 704 | 415 | 59% |
| 2022-23 | 715 | 436 | 61% |
| 2023-24 | 699 | 433 | 62% |
| 2024-25 | 719 | 460 | 64% |
