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6.6avg / 10

Ware County School District

School District · Waycross, Georgia

Students: 5,977
Teachers (FTE): 474

Avg Rating

6.6

out of 10

Schools

9

6 elem, 2 mid, 1 high

Enrollment

5,977

Student-Teacher Ratio

12.6:1

How this district compares

Georgia rank

#68 of 179

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

+0.3

above Georgia avg

Per-pupil spending

$15,387

+$1,259 vs Georgia median

District size

5,977 students

Larger than Georgia median

The short answer

Ware County ranks #68 of 179 Georgia districts by overall school rating. Ware County's schools with real test data average 6.6/10 across 9 schools. Its top-rated schools are Center Elementary School (8.3/10), Ruskin Elementary School (8.1/10), and Ware County Middle School (7.8/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Ware County Middle School

Rates 7.8/10 despite 80% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.9 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Ware County schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Waresboro Elementary School

STAAR proficiency rose +17.5 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Ware County schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Ware County

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (9 of 9). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Center Elementary School8.3 / 10
2Ruskin Elementary School8.1 / 10
3Ware County Middle School7.8 / 10
4Waycross Middle School7.4 / 10
5Memorial Drive Elementary School6.3 / 10
6Ware County High School6.0 / 10
7Waresboro Elementary School5.6 / 10
8Williams Heights Elementary School4.9 / 10
9Wacona Elementary School4.8 / 10

See all 9 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Ware County

Ware County is a Waycross, Georgia school district serving 9 schools.The district educates 5,977 students with a student-teacher ratio of 12.6:1. District-level spending was $15,387 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 6.6/10, Ware County demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Center Elementary School, which has a composite score of 8.3/10.

In standardized testing, Ware County students show an average math proficiency of 54.8% and ELA proficiency of 57.0%.

The district includes 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school.

District Map

Schools in Ware County, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency54.8%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency57.0%
School
State
Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Ware County with test data.

District Details

State
Georgia
City
Waycross
Total Enrollment
5,977
Teachers (FTE)
474
District spending per student
$15,387NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
35.9%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Ware County?

Ware County has 9 schools in total — 6 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Ware County?

The average composite rating for Ware County is 6.6/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Ware County?

Ware County's district-level spending was $15,387 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Ware County?

The average student-teacher ratio in Ware County is 12.6:1.

What is the top-rated school in Ware County?

Center Elementary School is the highest-rated school in Ware County with a composite score of 8.3/10.

What are the test scores in Ware County?

Across schools in Ware County with test data, the average math proficiency is 54.8% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 57.0%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Ware County compare to other districts in Georgia?

Ware County has an average school rating of 6.6/10 across 9 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Georgia by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
6.6/10
Math Proficiency
54.8%
ELA Proficiency
57.0%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in GA

Compare Ware County with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in GA →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Georgia Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

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