Pleasant Grove Elementary enrolls 12 African American students for 2024-25

In the 2024-25 school year, Pleasant Grove Elementary School recorded 12 African American students enrolled, a 50% increase from the prior year, reports from the Georgia Department of Education indicate.

The overall student population at Pleasant Grove Elementary School totaled 419 during the 2024-25 academic year. Of that, African American students accounted for 3% of the students, placing them among the smallest represented groups in the school.

Located within the Whitfield County School District, the school's central office is in Dalton.

Of the 22 campuses in Whitfield County School District, Northwest Whitfield County High School had the largest number of African American students enrolled in the 2024-25 school year, at 21 students.

Georgia's public schools reported over 1.7 million students enrolled, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report. The elementary level saw the largest segment with 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by middle school at 388,733 (22.7%) and high school at 539,092 (31.4%).

Chronic absenteeism continues to be a significant concern in Georgia schools following the COVID-19 pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing at least 10% of school days in 2024, as noted by the Georgia Department of Education. In response, GaDOE introduced a statewide initiative featuring a real-time attendance dashboard, a public awareness effort, and enhanced support for districts with high absenteeism rates to encourage higher daily attendance.

In 2025, Georgia legislators updated school attendance regulations, prohibiting expulsions solely because of absences. The updated law incorporates expanded reporting practices and supports alternative programs to help students earn diplomas.

As of 2026, Georgia maintained an average student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 14:1, surpassing the national average of 15:1.