Ware County School District
School District · Waycross, Georgia
Avg Rating
6.7
out of 10
Schools
9
6 elem, 2 mid, 1 high
Enrollment
5,977
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
Avg Rating
6.7
out of 10
Schools
9
6 elem, 2 mid, 1 high
Enrollment
5,977
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
Evaluating Ware County?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Ware County as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Ware County High School
Waycross · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Waresboro Elementary School
Waycross · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Williams Heights Elementary School
Waycross · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Georgia rank
#72 of 179
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+0.4
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 #72 of 179 Georgia districts by overall school rating. Ware County's schools with real test data average 6.7/10 across 9 schools. Its top-rated schools are Ware County High School (7.9/10), Waresboro Elementary School (7.4/10), and Williams Heights Elementary School (7.1/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 7.9/10 despite 84% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.1 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.
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.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ware County High School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 2 | Waresboro Elementary School | 7.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Williams Heights Elementary School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 4 | Ruskin Elementary School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 5 | Memorial Drive Elementary School | 6.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Wacona Elementary School | 6.4 / 10 |
| 7 | Waycross Middle School | 6.0 / 10 |
| 8 | Center Elementary School | 6.0 / 10 |
| 9 | Ware County Middle School | 5.9 / 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 6.7/10, Ware County demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Ware County High School, which has a composite score of 7.9/10.
In standardized testing, Ware County students show an average math proficiency of 55.7% and ELA proficiency of 58.4%.
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
Average proficiency across all schools in Ware County with test data.
Schools in Ware County
9 schoolsElementary Schools6
Middle Schools2
High Schools1
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 6.7/10. 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?
Ware County High School is the highest-rated school in Ware County with a composite score of 7.9/10.
What are the test scores in Ware County?
Across schools in Ware County with test data, the average math proficiency is 55.7% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 58.4%. 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 6.7/10 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
- 6.7/10
- Math Proficiency
- 55.7%
- ELA Proficiency
- 58.4%
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 rateOther School Districts in GA
Compare Ware County with neighboring districts in the state.
- Gwinnett County (140)
- Dekalb County (131)
- Cobb County (110)
- Fulton County (106)
- Atlanta Public Schools (87)
- Clayton County (67)
- Savannah-chatham County (58)
- Muscogee County (53)
- Henry County (50)
- Richmond County (50)
- Forsyth County (42)
- Cherokee County (37)
- Hall County (37)
- Houston County (37)
- Bibb County (35)
- Douglas County (35)
- Paulding County (33)
- Columbia County (30)
- Coweta County (29)
- Department of Juvenile Justice (28)
- Carroll County (24)
- Fayette County (24)
- Dougherty County (22)
- Newton County (22)
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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