For the 2024-25 school year, Ellijay Elementary School enrolled 307 white students, which represents a 1% decrease from the prior year, as reported by the Georgia Department of Education.
Total enrollment at Ellijay Elementary reached 603 students in the 2024-25 school year, with white students accounting for 51% of all pupils—making them the largest demographic group in the school.
The school is part of the Gilmer County School District, where the central office is based in Ellijay.
Of the five schools in Gilmer County School District, Gilmer High School reported the largest number of white students enrolled in 2024-25, with 718 students.
According to the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report, more than 1.7 million students attended public schools in Georgia. Enrollment numbers were highest at the elementary level with 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by high school with 539,092 students (31.4%), and middle school with 388,733 students (22.7%).
Chronic absenteeism continues to be a significant challenge in Georgia schools following the pandemic. In 2024, 20.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days, according to the Georgia Department of Education. The department introduced a statewide plan with a real-time attendance dashboard, a public information initiative, and targeted support to high-need districts to improve daily student attendance.
In 2025, new legislation in Georgia updated attendance policies to prohibit expulsion solely due to absenteeism. The updated law adds new reporting obligations and supports diploma pathways through alternative options for students.
By 2026, Georgia’s average student-to-teacher ratio stood at roughly 14:1, lower than the national average of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total white students | % of white students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | 1,110 | 788 | 71% |
| 2012-13 | 633 | 436 | 69% |
| 2013-14 | 659 | 474 | 72% |
| 2014-15 | 703 | 492 | 70% |
| 2015-16 | 670 | 455 | 68% |
| 2016-17 | 672 | 450 | 67% |
| 2017-18 | 622 | 404 | 65% |
| 2018-19 | 635 | 425 | 67% |
| 2019-20 | 573 | 297 | 52% |
| 2020-21 | 567 | 294 | 52% |
| 2021-22 | 624 | 318 | 51% |
| 2022-23 | 611 | 311 | 51% |
| 2023-24 | 621 | 310 | 50% |
| 2024-25 | 603 | 307 | 51% |
Information featured in this story was sourced from the Georgia Department of Education. Source data can be accessed here.
