Saddle Ridge Elementary, Middle School had 14 African American students enrolled in 2024-25

During the 2024-25 school year, Saddle Ridge Elementary and Middle School counted 14 African American students in its enrollment, which marked a 7.7% increase compared to the prior year, based on reports shared by the Georgia Department of Education.

The school reported a total enrollment of 739 students for the 2024-25 school year. African American students constituted 2% of this group, making them the smallest subgroup at the school.

Situated in the Walker County Schools district, the school is served by a central office in LaFayette.

Among all 15 schools in Walker County Schools, Ridgeland High School had the largest African American enrollment during the 2024-25 school year, with 104 students.

Georgia’s public schools enrolled more than 1.7 million students, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report. Elementary grades had the highest enrollment at 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by middle school with 388,733 students (22.7%) and high school with 539,092 students (31.4%).

Chronic absenteeism continues to challenge Georgia schools in the post-pandemic period, with 20.7% of students missing 10% or more school days in 2024, the Georgia Department of Education said. In response, GaDOE began a statewide effort that includes a real-time attendance dashboard, a public campaign, and targeted aid for high-need districts to improve daily attendance.

In 2025, Georgia lawmakers updated school attendance laws to prohibit expulsion solely for absenteeism. The legislation also introduces new reporting guidelines and is coordinated with programs aiding students in obtaining diplomas through alternative routes.

As of 2026, Georgia had an average student-to-teacher ratio of roughly 14:1, which outperforms the national ratio of 15:1.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia Department of Education. The source data can be found here.