NW Georgia News

There were 1,632 eighth grade students enrolled in Catoosa County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 0.5% more than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Heritage Middle School welcomed the largest number of eighth grade students among county schools, registering 590 students during the 2022-23 school year.

Within Catoosa County schools, the highest student count was found in 10th grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in kindergarten.

Statewide, Catoosa County ranked 36th in enrollment numbers, with a total of 20,149 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was also ranked 36th 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
Heritage Middle School	590	33.3%	1,771
Lakeview Middle School	525	38.5%	1,364
Ringgold Middle School	517	33.9%	1,526