Among the many ethnicities represented in Chatham County schools, African American was the most prevalent among Chatham County students in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.
Of the 33,740 students attending Chatham County schools, 56.1% were African American. White students were the second most common ethnicity, making up 19.3% of Chatham County student body.
In the previous school year, African American students were also the most common group in Chatham County, representing 56.5% of the student body.
In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 1.1% when compared to the previous year.
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 | Most prevalent ethnic group | % of Total Student Population | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hesse School | White | 40% | 962 |
| Gould Elementary School | Hispanic | 51% | 885 |
| Johnson High School | African American | 86% | 773 |
| Georgetown School | African American | 56% | 522 |
| Savannah-Chatham E-Learning Academy | African American | 63% | 434 |
| New Hampstead High School | African American | 53% | 1,367 |
| Jenkins High School | African American | 61% | 1,118 |
| Godley Station School | African American | 48% | 1,115 |
| Rice Creek School | African American | 60% | 1,098 |
| Groves High School | African American | 63% | 1,010 |
| Windsor Forest High School | African American | 66% | 981 |
| West Chatham Middle School | African American | 41% | 942 |
| Beach High School | African American | 83% | 876 |
| Savannah Arts Academy | White | 56% | 834 |
| New Hampstead K-8 School | African American | 50% | 829 |
| Islands High School | White | 64% | 805 |
| Southwest Middle School | African American | 61% | 754 |
| Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts | African American | 48% | 737 |
| West Chatham Elementary School | African American | 56% | 717 |
| Southwest Elementary School | African American | 53% | 679 |
| Woodville-Tompkins Technical and Career High School | African American | 64% | 671 |
| The STEM Academy at Bartlett | African American | 46% | 656 |
| Heard Elementary School | African American | 68% | 622 |
| White Bluff Elementary School | African American | 69% | 601 |
| Largo-Tibet Elementary School | African American | 68% | 590 |
| Marshpoint Elementary School | White | 58% | 581 |
| School of Humanities at Juliette Gordon Low | African American | 78% | 576 |
| Isle of Hope School | African American | 70% | 549 |
| Pulaski Elementary SChool | African American | 39% | 523 |
| May Howard Elementary School | White | 74% | 512 |
| Coastal Middle School | White | 54% | 508 |
| Shuman Elementary School | African American | 78% | 486 |
| Otis J. Brock III Elementary School | African American | 81% | 481 |
| Myers Middle School | African American | 84% | 478 |
| Andrea B. Williams Elementary School | African American | 89% | 454 |
| Hubert Middle School | African American | 85% | 438 |
| Jacob G. Smith Elementary School | African American | 47% | 436 |
| Tybee Island Maritime Academy School | White | 85% | 423 |
| Mercer Middle School | African American | 57% | 416 |
| Windsor Forest Elementary School | African American | 54% | 393 |
| Ellis Elementary School | White | 49% | 379 |
| Pooler Elementary School | African American | 35% | 361 |
| Savannah Classical Academy Charter School | African American | 56% | 322 |
| Henderson E. Formey Jr. Early Learning Center | African American | 82% | 187 |
| Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School | African American | 35% | 180 |
| Savannah Early College High School | African American | 64% | 139 |
| Savannah Classical Academy Charter High School | African American | 46% | 70 |
| The School of Liberal Studies at Savannah High | African American | 88% | 586 |
| Garden City Elementary School | Hispanic | 58% | 558 |
| Oglethorpe Charter School | African American | 85% | 549 |
| DeRenne Middle School | African American | 89% | 504 |
| Gadsden Elementary School | African American | 95% | 433 |
| Hodge Elementary School | African American | 89% | 343 |
| Haven Elementary School | African American | 92% | 333 |
| Susie King Taylor Community School | African American | 80% | 290 |
| Bloomingdale Elementary School | White | 49% | 265 |
| Butler Elementary School | African American | 88% | 409 |
