There were 2,295 kindergarten students enrolled in Richmond County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 1.6% more than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.
Wheeless Road Elementary School welcomed the largest number of kindergarten students among county schools, registering 120 students during the 2023-24 school year.
Within Richmond County schools, the highest student count was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in 12th grade.
Statewide, Richmond County ranked 14th in enrollment numbers, with a total of 28,753 students enrolled in the 2023-24 school year. It was also ranked 14th the year before.
According to the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2025-3 report, over 1.7 million students were enrolled in Georgia’s public schools. The state boasted a diverse and closely distributed student body across grade levels, with approximately 806,891 students (46.5%) in elementary school, 393,308 (22.7%) in middle school, and 536,379 (30.9%) in high school.
Chronic absenteeism remains a major issue in Georgia schools post-pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing 10% or more of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. In response, GaDOE launched a statewide initiative including a real-time attendance dashboard, a public awareness campaign, and targeted support for high-need districts to boost daily attendance.
In 2025, Georgia lawmakers passed a bill updating school attendance laws to ban expulsion solely for absenteeism. The law also adds new reporting requirements and aligns with programs that help students earn diplomas through alternative paths.
As of 2025, Georgia has an average student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 14:1, which is better than the national average of 15:1. The state’s best ratios are found in preschool, with an average of 13:1, and in elementary and middle school grades, both at 14:1, while high schools have a higher average ratio of 16:1.
| School name | # of Kindergarten Students Enrolled | % of Student Body | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeless Road Elementary School | 120 | 16.8% | 716 |
| Lake Forest Hills Elementary School | 108 | 21.3% | 506 |
| Sue Reynolds Elementary School | 100 | 17% | 588 |
| Diamond Lakes Elementary School | 96 | 19% | 506 |
| Warren Road Elementary School | 95 | 17.2% | 551 |
| Walker Traditional Elementary School | 95 | 14.5% | 656 |
| W.S. Hornsby Elementary School | 92 | 26.7% | 345 |
| Deer Chase Elementary School | 89 | 16.4% | 544 |
| Belair K-8 School | 87 | 8.6% | 1,015 |
| Richmond Hill K-8 | 83 | 7.3% | 1,136 |
| Hephzibah Elementary School | 82 | 15.6% | 527 |
| Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics | 80 | 8.5% | 937 |
| Wilkinson Gardens Elementary School | 72 | 17.4% | 414 |
| Gracewood Elementary School | 71 | 17.3% | 411 |
| Freedom Park Elementary School | 71 | 13.5% | 526 |
| Meadowbrook Elementary School | 70 | 16.7% | 420 |
| Jenkins-White Elementary School | 68 | 18.4% | 369 |
| Merry Elementary School | 67 | 18.8% | 356 |
| Goshen Elementary School | 66 | 15.8% | 419 |
| Copeland Elementary School | 64 | 18.7% | 343 |
| Glenn Hills Elementary School | 63 | 17.4% | 363 |
| Bayvale Elementary School | 63 | 19.4% | 325 |
| Barton Chapel Elementary School | 60 | 15.4% | 389 |
| Dorothy Hains Elementary School | 60 | 15.5% | 388 |
| Tobacco Road Elementary School | 60 | 16.2% | 371 |
| Jamestown Elementary School | 59 | 17.2% | 344 |
| McBean Elementary School | 57 | 17.7% | 322 |
| Garrett Elementary School | 54 | 17.1% | 315 |
| Lamar – Milledge Elementary School | 52 | 17.6% | 295 |
| Monte Sano Elementary School | 47 | 14% | 336 |
| Blythe Elementary School | 44 | 15.9% | 277 |
