Center Elementary School

Q: Is Center Elementary School a good school?

Center Elementary School ranks 715 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Center Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Waycross, Georgia, serving 480 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Ware County School District, which is ranked 77 out of 203 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Center Elementary School has consistently underperformed compared to the Ware County and Georgia state averages on the Milestones Assessment, with lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science across all grade levels. The school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, dropping from a 5-star rating in 2013-2014 to a 2-star rating in 2023-2024. This is in contrast to nearby schools like Waresboro Elementary, Ruskin Elementary, Memorial Drive Elementary, and Wacona Elementary, which generally perform better on the Milestones Assessments and have higher statewide rankings and ratings.

One notable exception is Patterson Elementary School, located in the neighboring Pierce County district, which significantly outperforms Center Elementary School and the other nearby schools. This suggests that higher academic achievement is possible, even in a similar socioeconomic context. The high percentage of students at Center Elementary School receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 93.67% to 97.76% over the past few years, indicates a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population, which may be a contributing factor to the school's lower academic performance.

Detail:

Public K-5

2114 Dorothy St
Waycross, GA 31501

(912) 287-2366

District: Ware County

SchoolDigger Rank:
715^th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,843

Students who attend Center Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Waycross Middle School
High:	Ware County High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 470

Racial breakdown:

African American:

58.3%

White:

25.7%

Hispanic:

7.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Center Elementary School ranks worse than 57.3% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks last among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Ware County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 38.71. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (58.3%), White (25.7%), Hispanic (7.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 95.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Center Elementary School is 12.6. 4 elementary schools in the Ware County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Center Elementary School employs 37.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Center Elementary School is $8,843, which is the lowest among 6 elementary schools in the Ware County School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Center Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Ware County:

SchoolDigger ranks Ware County 77^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Center Elementary School.

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Rank History for Center Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	46.16	686^th	1101	37.7%
2007	64.40	423^rd	1125	62.4%
2008	59.64	505^th	1134	55.5%
2009	54.65	570^th	1133	49.7%
2010	49.47	712^th	1183	39.8%
2011	56.33	628^th	1212	48.2%
2012	74.81	288^th	1201	76.0%
2013	79.39	206^th	1225	83.2%
2014	83.17	114^th	1231	90.7%
2015	79.18	220^th	1240	82.3%
2016	68.04	346^th	1233	71.9%
2017	67.75	339^th	1205	71.9%
2018	56.09	475^th	1209	60.7%
2019	44.79	658^th	1234	46.7%
2021	40.55	670^th	1214	44.8%
2022	37.64	733^rd	1244	41.1%
2023	34.28	777^th	1242	37.4%
2024	38.71	715^th	1248	42.7%

See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Center Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	243	263	6	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	514
1996	243	263	6	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	514
1997	225	282	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	510
1998	222	301	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	528
1999	192	286	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	481
2000	173	252	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	427
2001	175	250	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	427
2002	198	246	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	449
2003	198	246	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	449
2004	219	232	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	457
2005	197	254	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	9	471
2006	207	275	5	10	0	n/a	n/a	9	506
2007	216	255	5	10	2	n/a	n/a	10	498
2008	178	264	5	13	1	n/a	n/a	3	464
2009	169	238	7	13	0	n/a	n/a	12	439
2010	184	237	2	13	0	0	0	0	436
2011	191	237	2	24	0	0	2	0	456
2012	190	245	2	31	0	0	10	0	478
2013	179	231	3	27	0	0	15	0	455
2014	183	232	7	27	0	0	17	0	466
2015	189	247	5	25	0	0	29	0	495
2016	194	282	7	28	0	0	29	0	540
2017	183	283	5	31	0	0	28	0	530
2018	178	311	4	27	0	0	35	0	555
2019	184	325	6	25	3	0	25	0	568
2020	183	289	8	27	0	0	23	0	530
2021	159	276	7	27	0	0	22	0	491
2022	150	263	4	27	0	0	35	0	479
2023	139	275	2	34	0	0	30	0	480
2024	121	274	4	37	1	0	33	0	470

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Center Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	514	32.0	16.1	52.5
1996	514	32.0	16.1	52.5
1997	510	35.0	14.6	65.3
1998	528	39.8	13.3	68
1999	481	39.7	12.1	77.5
2000	427	39.5	10.8	75.9
2001	427	30.0	14.2	72.1
2002	449	30.8	14.6	65.7
2003	449	30.8	14.6	65.7
2004	457	26.2	17.4	63.2
2005	471	39.3	12.0	68.8
2006	506	39.0	13.0	68.8
2007	498	38.9	12.8	67.4
2008	464	37.5	12.4	67.7
2009	439	35.5	12.4	76.3
2010	436	31.9	13.6	70.6
2011	456	31.3	14.5	74.1
2012	478	31.3	15.2	72.8
2013	455	30.9	14.7	75.6
2014	466	30.9	15.0	76.6
2015	495	31.0	15.9	90.1
2016	540	33.0	16.3	90
2017	530	34.7	15.2	90.2
2018	555	34.8	15.9	90.1
2019	568	39.5	14.3	97.7
2020	530	39.9	13.2	97.7
2021	491	35.9	13.6	97.8
2022	479	37.9	12.6	n/a
2023	480	34.6	13.8	93.8
2024	470	37.1	12.6	95.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Center Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	514	32.0	16.1	52.5
1996	514	32.0	16.1	52.5
1997	510	35.0	14.6	65.3
1998	528	39.8	13.3	68
1999	481	39.7	12.1	77.5
2000	427	39.5	10.8	75.9
2001	427	30.0	14.2	72.1
2002	449	30.8	14.6	65.7
2003	449	30.8	14.6	65.7
2004	457	26.2	17.4	63.2
2005	471	39.3	12.0	68.8
2006	506	39.0	13.0	68.8
2007	498	38.9	12.8	67.4
2008	464	37.5	12.4	67.7
2009	439	35.5	12.4	76.3
2010	436	31.9	13.6	70.6
2011	456	31.3	14.5	74.1
2012	478	31.3	15.2	72.8
2013	455	30.9	14.7	75.6
2014	466	30.9	15.0	76.6
2015	495	31.0	15.9	90.1
2016	540	33.0	16.3	90
2017	530	34.7	15.2	90.2
2018	555	34.8	15.9	90.1
2019	568	39.5	14.3	97.7
2020	530	39.9	13.2	97.7
2021	491	35.9	13.6	97.8
2022	479	37.9	12.6	n/a
2023	480	34.6	13.8	93.8
2024	470	37.1	12.6	95.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Center Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$798 (9.8%)	$7,376 (90.2%)	$8,174
2018	$920 (11.0%)	$7,477 (89.0%)	$8,397
2019	$776 (8.8%)	$8,067 (91.2%)	$8,843

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Center Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 658^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 777^th of 1242 Elementary schools	9.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Center Elementary School)	37.2	25.7	11.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ware County)	40.4	30.6	9.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Center Elementary School)	34.5	24.3	10.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	40.5	39	1.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Center Elementary School)	42.2	27.4	14.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ware County)	46.9	32.5	14.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Center Elementary School)	43.6	44	0.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	48.7	42.8	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Center Elementary School)	48.3	32.4	15.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ware County)	45.1	38.6	6.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Center Elementary School)	29.2	20.3	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	41.1	37	4.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Center Elementary School)	46.1	31.1	15%
5th Grade Science (Ware County)	47	43.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Georgia)	43	40	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	568	480	15.5%
African American	325	275	15.4%
American Indian	3	0	100%
Asian	6	2	66.7%
Hispanic	25	34	36%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	184	139	24.5%
Two or More Races	25	30	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	97.7%	93.8%	4%

Schools Near Center Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)				Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)				Milestones Assessment Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Center Elementary School	Public	K-5	2114 Dorothy St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2366	470	37	12.6	95.7%	121 (25.7%)	274 (58.3%)	37 (7.9%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.0%)	38.7	715^th of 1248 public elementary schools	42.7%		34.3	777^th of 1242 public elementary schools	37.4%	62	33.8	38.0	35.2		32.4	59.2	22.7		23.9	$8,843	$776	$8,067
Wacona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3101 State St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2362	963	50	19.1	86.6%	554 (57.5%)	265 (27.5%)	73 (7.6%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (6.9%)	55.1	504^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.6%		47	590^th of 1242 public elementary schools	52.5%	86	42.3	28.7	55.8		46.2	44.7	33.7		47.1	$10,223	$974	$9,249
Williams Heights Elementary School	Public	K-5	705 Dewey St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2399	436	35	12.4	80.3%	146 (33.5%)	221 (50.7%)	26 (6.0%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.3%)	62.9	427^th of 1248 public elementary schools	65.8%		57.7	478^th of 1242 public elementary schools	61.5%	51	42.3	38.0	54.3		49.3	40.8	52.9		51.4	$10,584	$955	$9,629
Memorial Drive Elementary School	Public	K-5	2580 Ambrose St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2327	372	34	10.8	100.0%	183 (49.2%)	134 (36.0%)	16 (4.3%)	9 (2.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.5%)	52.4	536^th of 1248 public elementary schools	57.1%		46.8	597^th of 1242 public elementary schools	51.9%	61	30.4	35.3	46.7		48.2	62.7	38.3		33.9	$10,050	$1,169	$8,881
Midway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3244 Midway Church Rd	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 807-0084	479	33	14.4	57.4%	388 (81.0%)	6 (1.3%)	62 (12.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.2%)	89.5	142^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	88.6%		93.4	92^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	92.6%	50	45.6	70.1	76.0		60.3	73.1	70.7		84.0	$9,929	$645	$9,284
Waresboro Elementary School	Public	K-5	3379 W Church St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2393	420	37	11.2	81.9%	232 (55.2%)	109 (26.0%)	44 (10.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.6%)	69.3	351^st of 1248 public elementary schools	71.9%		52.5	527^th of 1242 public elementary schools	57.6%	176	34.5	32.4	67.1		51.7	59.5	50.0		65.7	$9,947	$846	$9,101
Ruskin Elementary School	Public	K-5	3550 Valdosta Hwy	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2325	374	32	11.6	100.0%	146 (39.0%)	130 (34.8%)	58 (15.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (10.2%)	55.4	500^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.9%		58	474^th of 1242 public elementary schools	61.8%	26	36.2	37.3	40.6		48.3	55.2	35.9		48.4	$10,466	$1,555	$8,911
Blackshear Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5217 Ga Highway 121	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 449-2088	845	60	14.0	81.9%	562 (66.5%)	136 (16.1%)	93 (11.0%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.4%)	70.5	340^th of 1248 public elementary schools	72.8%		66.8	373^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	70.0%	33	34.2	49.6	56.6		71.1	64.1	41.9		48.8	$9,548	$1,118	$8,430
Hoboken Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	224 Church St N	Hoboken	31542	Brantley County	Brantley County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 458-2135	532	41	13.0	67.9%	478 (89.8%)	8 (1.5%)	22 (4.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.9%)	83.3	196^th of 1248 public elementary schools	84.3%		84.5	182^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	85.3%	14	28.1	49.2	77.6	60.0	81.3	67.7	70.7	63.6	63.8	$9,444	$746	$8,698
Patterson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3414 Drawdy St	Patterson	31557	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 647-5373	453	33	13.6	61.6%	381 (84.1%)	18 (4.0%)	37 (8.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.5%)	93.2	95^th of 1248 public elementary schools	92.4%		91.6	111^th of 1242 public elementary schools	91.1%	16	65.7	51.4	78.9		71.6	81.1	86.0		77.2	$9,941	$671	$9,269

Frequently Asked Questions about Center Elementary School

Is Center Elementary School a good school?

Center Elementary School ranks 715^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Center Elementary School?

Students at Center Elementary School are 58% African American, 26% White, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

What district is Center Elementary School in?

Ware County

How many students attend Center Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 470 students attended Center Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Center Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Center Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Waycross Middle School
High : Ware County High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.