Williams Heights Elementary School

Q: Is Williams Heights Elementary School a good school?

Williams Heights Elementary School ranks 427 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Williams Heights Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Waycross, Georgia, serving 426 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Ware County School District, which is ranked 77 out of 203 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Williams Heights Elementary consistently outperforms the Ware County and Georgia state averages on Milestones Assessments, with higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics across multiple grade levels. Over the past 10 years, the school has maintained a relatively high statewide ranking, ranging from 209th to 715th out of over 1,200 Georgia elementary schools. However, the school's ranking has declined in recent years, suggesting it may be facing challenges in keeping up with the performance of other schools in the state. Additionally, Williams Heights has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 76.77% to 80.28%, indicating it serves a population with significant economic challenges.

When compared to nearby schools, Williams Heights Elementary generally performs better on Milestones Assessments than other schools in the Ware County district, but lags behind some of the higher-performing schools in the neighboring Pierce County district, such as Patterson Elementary and Midway Elementary. Identifying and addressing the specific factors contributing to these performance gaps could be a focus for Williams Heights Elementary's improvement efforts.

Detail:

Public K-5

705 Dewey St
Waycross, GA 31501

(912) 287-2399

District: Ware County

SchoolDigger Rank:
427^th of 1,248 Georgia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,584

Students who attend Williams Heights Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Waycross Middle School
High:	Ware County High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.4

Number of students: 436

Racial breakdown:

African American:

50.7%

White:

33.5%

Two or more races:

8.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 80.3%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Williams Heights Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Williams Heights Elementary School ranks better than 65.8% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Ware County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.94. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (50.7%), White (33.5%), two or more races (8.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 80.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Ware County School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Williams Heights Elementary School is 12.4. 3 elementary schools in the Ware County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Williams Heights Elementary School employs 35.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Williams Heights Elementary School is $10,584, which is the highest among 6 elementary schools in the Ware County School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Williams Heights Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Ware County:

SchoolDigger ranks Ware County 77^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Williams Heights Elementary School.

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Rank History for Williams Heights Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	78.20	194^th	1101	82.4%
2007	79.22	185^th	1125	83.6%
2008	83.86	120^th	1134	89.4%
2009	72.64	293^rd	1133	74.1%
2010	77.88	232^nd	1183	80.4%
2011	82.66	152^nd	1212	87.5%
2012	83.01	125^th	1201	89.6%
2013	82.11	146^th	1225	88.1%
2014	78.75	209^th	1231	83.0%
2015	79.08	221^st	1240	82.2%
2016	64.44	384^th	1233	68.9%
2017	69.25	322^nd	1205	73.3%
2018	75.52	269^th	1209	77.8%
2019	69.34	337^th	1234	72.7%
2021	52.56	526^th	1214	56.7%
2022	52.74	536^th	1244	56.9%
2023	57.70	478^th	1242	61.5%
2024	62.94	427^th	1248	65.8%

See the entire list of Georgia Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, July 16, 2011

I can't say enough good things about Williams Heights! I've had two children in the school for 2 years and our experience has been wonderful. This school strives for excellence in EVERYTHING! The Principal is a remarkable leader, very easy to talk to and is so helpful whenever needed. The staff are all exceptional. The education is superb. We love our school! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Williams Heights Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	240	230	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
1996	240	230	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
1997	250	195	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	453
1998	234	219	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1999	214	214	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	432
2000	214	197	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	419
2001	220	178	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	407
2002	216	157	4	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	380
2003	216	157	4	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	380
2004	224	161	6	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	394
2005	214	166	6	6	0	n/a	n/a	6	398
2006	221	169	7	5	0	n/a	n/a	9	411
2007	222	182	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	9	422
2008	211	163	7	7	0	n/a	n/a	10	398
2009	196	159	5	10	0	n/a	n/a	13	383
2010	206	166	5	13	0	1	21	0	412
2011	229	174	6	15	0	1	22	0	447
2012	221	182	10	14	0	1	31	0	459
2013	217	187	11	26	1	1	32	0	475
2014	213	190	13	30	0	1	34	0	481
2015	245	206	11	22	1	0	29	0	514
2016	199	243	9	18	0	0	35	0	504
2017	212	214	10	21	0	0	41	0	498
2018	198	193	10	19	0	0	36	0	456
2019	179	203	10	15	0	0	36	0	443
2020	176	225	6	10	0	0	29	0	446
2021	173	215	10	11	0	0	30	0	439
2022	173	214	7	13	0	0	30	0	437
2023	161	206	6	22	1	0	30	0	426
2024	146	221	7	26	0	0	36	0	436

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Williams Heights Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	472	31.0	15.2	48.3
1996	472	31.0	15.2	48.3
1997	453	31.0	14.6	54.1
1998	458	33.3	13.8	53.9
1999	432	34.2	12.6	54.4
2000	419	30.0	14.0	55.8
2001	407	27.8	14.6	53.3
2002	380	23.1	16.5	51.8
2003	380	23.1	16.5	51.8
2004	394	25.0	15.8	50.8
2005	398	32.9	12.1	51.5
2006	411	31.4	13.1	57.5
2007	422	29.3	14.4	52.5
2008	398	31.4	12.7	61.1
2009	383	29.2	13.1	68.1
2010	412	29.0	14.2	55.3
2011	447	29.5	15.1	56.4
2012	459	29.5	15.5	61.4
2013	475	29.9	15.8	62.9
2014	481	30.0	16.0	65.3
2015	514	30.0	17.1	90.1
2016	504	32.0	15.7	90.1
2017	498	32.0	15.5	90.2
2018	456	31.1	14.6	90.1
2019	443	34.6	12.8	76.5
2020	446	33.1	13.4	76.7
2021	439	31.1	14.1	76.8
2022	437	37.1	11.7	n/a
2023	426	38.3	11.1	80.3
2024	436	35.1	12.4	80.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Williams Heights Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	472	31.0	15.2	48.3
1996	472	31.0	15.2	48.3
1997	453	31.0	14.6	54.1
1998	458	33.3	13.8	53.9
1999	432	34.2	12.6	54.4
2000	419	30.0	14.0	55.8
2001	407	27.8	14.6	53.3
2002	380	23.1	16.5	51.8
2003	380	23.1	16.5	51.8
2004	394	25.0	15.8	50.8
2005	398	32.9	12.1	51.5
2006	411	31.4	13.1	57.5
2007	422	29.3	14.4	52.5
2008	398	31.4	12.7	61.1
2009	383	29.2	13.1	68.1
2010	412	29.0	14.2	55.3
2011	447	29.5	15.1	56.4
2012	459	29.5	15.5	61.4
2013	475	29.9	15.8	62.9
2014	481	30.0	16.0	65.3
2015	514	30.0	17.1	90.1
2016	504	32.0	15.7	90.1
2017	498	32.0	15.5	90.2
2018	456	31.1	14.6	90.1
2019	443	34.6	12.8	76.5
2020	446	33.1	13.4	76.7
2021	439	31.1	14.1	76.8
2022	437	37.1	11.7	n/a
2023	426	38.3	11.1	80.3
2024	436	35.1	12.4	80.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Williams Heights Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$584 (6.6%)	$8,209 (93.4%)	$8,793
2018	$757 (7.7%)	$9,073 (92.3%)	$9,830
2019	$954 (9.0%)	$9,629 (91.0%)	$10,584

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Williams Heights Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 337^th of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 478^th of 1242 Elementary schools	11.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Williams Heights Elementary School)	54.1	41	13.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ware County)	40.4	30.6	9.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	38.6	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Williams Heights Elementary School)	48.6	47.5	1.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	40.5	39	1.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Williams Heights Elementary School)	65	30.8	34.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ware County)	46.9	32.5	14.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	42	36.1	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Williams Heights Elementary School)	58.8	53.8	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	48.7	42.8	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	49	45.7	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Williams Heights Elementary School)	46.6	40	6.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ware County)	45.1	38.6	6.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	45	41.6	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Williams Heights Elementary School)	50.7	43.3	7.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	41.1	37	4.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Williams Heights Elementary School)	49.3	38.3	11%
5th Grade Science (Ware County)	47	43.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Georgia)	43	40	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	443	426	3.8%
African American	203	206	1.5%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	10	6	40%
Hispanic	15	22	46.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	179	161	10.1%
Two or More Races	36	30	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	76.5%	80.3%	3.8%

Schools Near Williams Heights Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)				Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)				Milestones Assessment Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Williams Heights Elementary School	Public	K-5	705 Dewey St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2399	436	35	12.4	80.3%	146 (33.5%)	221 (50.7%)	26 (6.0%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.3%)	62.9	427^th of 1248 public elementary schools	65.8%		57.7	478^th of 1242 public elementary schools	61.5%	51	42.3	38.0	54.3		49.3	40.8	52.9		51.4	$10,584	$955	$9,629
Center Elementary School	Public	K-5	2114 Dorothy St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2366	470	37	12.6	95.7%	121 (25.7%)	274 (58.3%)	37 (7.9%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.0%)	38.7	715^th of 1248 public elementary schools	42.7%		34.3	777^th of 1242 public elementary schools	37.4%	62	33.8	38.0	35.2		32.4	59.2	22.7		23.9	$8,843	$776	$8,067
Memorial Drive Elementary School	Public	K-5	2580 Ambrose St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2327	372	34	10.8	100.0%	183 (49.2%)	134 (36.0%)	16 (4.3%)	9 (2.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.5%)	52.4	536^th of 1248 public elementary schools	57.1%		46.8	597^th of 1242 public elementary schools	51.9%	61	30.4	35.3	46.7		48.2	62.7	38.3		33.9	$10,050	$1,169	$8,881
Wacona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3101 State St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2362	963	50	19.1	86.6%	554 (57.5%)	265 (27.5%)	73 (7.6%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (6.9%)	55.1	504^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.6%		47	590^th of 1242 public elementary schools	52.5%	86	42.3	28.7	55.8		46.2	44.7	33.7		47.1	$10,223	$974	$9,249
Midway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3244 Midway Church Rd	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 807-0084	479	33	14.4	57.4%	388 (81.0%)	6 (1.3%)	62 (12.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.2%)	89.5	142^nd of 1248 public elementary schools	88.6%		93.4	92^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	92.6%	50	45.6	70.1	76.0		60.3	73.1	70.7		84.0	$9,929	$645	$9,284
Ruskin Elementary School	Public	K-5	3550 Valdosta Hwy	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2325	374	32	11.6	100.0%	146 (39.0%)	130 (34.8%)	58 (15.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (10.2%)	55.4	500^th of 1248 public elementary schools	59.9%		58	474^th of 1242 public elementary schools	61.8%	26	36.2	37.3	40.6		48.3	55.2	35.9		48.4	$10,466	$1,555	$8,911
Waresboro Elementary School	Public	K-5	3379 W Church St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2393	420	37	11.2	81.9%	232 (55.2%)	109 (26.0%)	44 (10.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.6%)	69.3	351^st of 1248 public elementary schools	71.9%		52.5	527^th of 1242 public elementary schools	57.6%	176	34.5	32.4	67.1		51.7	59.5	50.0		65.7	$9,947	$846	$9,101
Blackshear Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5217 Ga Highway 121	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 449-2088	845	60	14.0	81.9%	562 (66.5%)	136 (16.1%)	93 (11.0%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.4%)	70.5	340^th of 1248 public elementary schools	72.8%		66.8	373^rd of 1242 public elementary schools	70.0%	33	34.2	49.6	56.6		71.1	64.1	41.9		48.8	$9,548	$1,118	$8,430
Hoboken Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	224 Church St N	Hoboken	31542	Brantley County	Brantley County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 458-2135	532	41	13.0	67.9%	478 (89.8%)	8 (1.5%)	22 (4.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.9%)	83.3	196^th of 1248 public elementary schools	84.3%		84.5	182^nd of 1242 public elementary schools	85.3%	14	28.1	49.2	77.6	60.0	81.3	67.7	70.7	63.6	63.8	$9,444	$746	$8,698
Patterson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3414 Drawdy St	Patterson	31557	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 647-5373	453	33	13.6	61.6%	381 (84.1%)	18 (4.0%)	37 (8.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.5%)	93.2	95^th of 1248 public elementary schools	92.4%		91.6	111^th of 1242 public elementary schools	91.1%	16	65.7	51.4	78.9		71.6	81.1	86.0		77.2	$9,941	$671	$9,269

Frequently Asked Questions about Williams Heights Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Williams Heights Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Williams Heights Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Waycross Middle School
High : Ware County High School

How many students attend Williams Heights Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 436 students attended Williams Heights Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Williams Heights Elementary School?

Students at Williams Heights Elementary School are 51% African American, 33% White, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

Is Williams Heights Elementary School a good school?

Williams Heights Elementary School ranks 427^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Williams Heights Elementary School in?

Ware County

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.