Ruskin Elementary School

Ruskin Elementary School serves 374 students in kindergarten through fifth grade in Waycross, Georgia. With a composite score of 9.3 out of 10, Ruskin earns an Exceptional rating — ranking 20th among 2,268 public schools statewide and first among all nine public schools in Waycross. Those numbers place it among the rarest tier of elementary schools in the state.

The school's academic score of 8.5 reflects solid classroom performance, but growth is the standout figure. A 9.9 growth score — nearly perfect — means students are advancing faster than their starting points predict. That trajectory puts Ruskin 17th among 1,301 Georgia elementary schools, outperforming 99% of public schools across the state.

A student-teacher ratio of 11.7 to 1 keeps class sizes small, giving teachers more direct time with each student. Ruskin operates as a regular public school with no selective admissions, meaning these results aren't filtered by application. For families in Waycross, this is the clear top choice — the highest-rated elementary in the city, and one of the twenty strongest public schools in all of Georgia.

Located in a rural area, Ruskin Elementary School may involve longer commutes for some families. Rural schools often serve as community anchors and may have smaller class sizes, but parents should consider transportation logistics, after-school program availability, and access to specialized services.