NW Georgia News

There were 3,048 eighth grade students enrolled in Whitfield County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 6.2% less than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Dalton Junior High School welcomed the largest number of eighth grade students among county schools, registering 1,070 students during the 2022-23 school year.

Within Whitfield County schools, the highest student count was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in fourth grade.

Statewide, Whitfield County ranked 21st in enrollment numbers, with a total of 38,313 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was also ranked 21st the year before.

While enrollment in Georgia inches closer to pre-pandemic levels, chronic absenteeism remains a serious challenge. In 2023, a significant portion of students (23%) missed 10% or more of their classes. Although this is slightly better than the peak of 25% in 2022, it's still nearly double the pre-pandemic rate of 13% recorded in 2019.

School name	# of 8th Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Dalton Junior High School	1,070	46.3%	2,313
North Whitfield Middle School	571	35%	1,633
Eastbrook Middle School	468	34.5%	1,357
New Hope Middle School	355	39%	911
Valley Point Middle School	342	38%	899
Westside Middle School	242	31.2%	775
Hammond Creek Middle School	0	0%	2,168