Jones-Wheat Primary School reports 329 African American students in 2024-25

In the 2024-25 school year, Jones-Wheat Primary School counted 329 African American students, an increase of 0.6% from the prior year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

Total enrollment at Jones-Wheat Primary School reached 540 students that year. African American students represented 61% of the overall student body, making them the school’s largest demographic group.

The school is administered by the Decatur County School District, which is headquartered in Bainbridge.

Of the six schools in the Decatur County School District, Bainbridge High School had the largest number of African American students enrolled in the 2024-25 school year, totaling 561 students.

The National Center for Education Statistics reported public school students in Georgia were made up of approximately 36.4% Black, 35.9% white, 18.1% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 4.6% multiracial, 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Pacific Islander.

Chronic absenteeism continues to be a key challenge in Georgia’s schools after the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing 10% or more of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. In response, GaDOE initiated new measures statewide, including a real-time attendance dashboard, increased public outreach, and specific support for districts with the greatest need to encourage daily attendance.

Georgia lawmakers enacted legislation in 2025 that revises school attendance rules by prohibiting expulsion solely for absenteeism. The updated law also adds reporting requirements and coordinates with initiatives to support students through alternative paths to graduation. Details can be found in the bill.

Georgia’s student-to-teacher ratio averaged 14:1 as of 2026, which outperformed the U.S. average of 15:1.