In the 2024-25 school year, Ferguson Elementary School recorded 185 African American students, a decrease of 23.2% compared with the prior year, reports the Georgia Department of Education.
Total enrollment reached 842 students at Ferguson Elementary School during that time. African American students represented 22% of all enrollees, making them the school’s second-largest demographic group.
Located in Gwinnett County School District, the school’s central administration is based in Lawrenceville.
Out of the 140 schools in Gwinnett County School District, Grayson High School had the largest African American student enrollment in the 2024-25 school year, totaling 2,089 students.
Over 1.7 million students were enrolled in Georgia public schools, the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report states. The highest enrollment occurred in elementary grades at 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by 388,733 middle school students (22.7%) and 539,092 high school students (31.4%).
The Georgia Department of Education noted that 20.7% of students missed 10% or more school days in 2024, as chronic absenteeism continues to challenge schools post-pandemic. The department has addressed this with a statewide response including a real-time attendance dashboard, public awareness campaign, and specialized assistance for districts with higher needs to improve daily attendance.
Georgia legislators updated school attendance laws in 2025, prohibiting expulsion solely for absenteeism. The new law also adds requirements for attendance reporting and supports programs that offer alternative diploma pathways.
By 2026, Georgia schools had an average student-teacher ratio of about 14:1, a better figure than the national average of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total African American students | % of African American students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 911 | 428 | 47% |
| 2011-12 | 958 | 469 | 49% |
| 2012-13 | 946 | 463 | 49% |
| 2013-14 | 943 | 480 | 51% |
| 2014-15 | 941 | 451 | 48% |
| 2015-16 | 900 | 297 | 33% |
| 2016-17 | 896 | 277 | 31% |
| 2017-18 | 851 | 263 | 31% |
| 2018-19 | 823 | 271 | 33% |
| 2019-20 | 841 | 269 | 32% |
| 2020-21 | 824 | 263 | 32% |
| 2021-22 | 811 | 259 | 32% |
| 2022-23 | 821 | 246 | 30% |
| 2023-24 | 834 | 241 | 29% |
| 2024-25 | 842 | 185 | 22% |
