Ruskin Elementary School

Q: Is Ruskin Elementary School a good school?

Ruskin Elementary School ranks 500 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ruskin Elementary School is a public elementary school in Waycross, Georgia, serving 379 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.

Ruskin Elementary School has consistently underperformed compared to the Ware County and Georgia state averages on the Milestones Assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, only 36.2% of 3rd graders, 37.3% of 4th graders, and 40.6% of 5th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the Ware County averages of 37.3%, 34.6%, and 50%, respectively. The school also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 93.67% to 97.76% over the past few years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When comparing Ruskin Elementary School to nearby schools in the Ware County district, it becomes evident that Ruskin is underperforming academically. For example, Williams Heights Elementary and Waresboro Elementary both outperform Ruskin in ELA and Mathematics proficiency rates. Furthermore, when comparing Ruskin to schools outside of the Ware County district, such as Hoboken Elementary and Blackshear Elementary, the performance gap becomes even more pronounced, with these out-of-district schools significantly outperforming Ruskin.

Detail:

Public K-5

3550 Valdosta Hwy
Waycross, GA 31503

(912) 287-2325

District: Ware County

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

Students who attend Ruskin Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ware County Middle School
High:	Ware County High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.0

Number of students: 379

Racial breakdown:

White:

40.9%

African American:

36.9%

Hispanic:

13.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 93.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ruskin Elementary School ranks better than 59.9% of elementary schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.4. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

Ruskin 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:

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Rank History for Ruskin Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	39.31	766^th	1101	30.4%
2007	43.13	732^nd	1125	34.9%
2008	34.68	830^th	1134	26.8%
2009	49.07	650^th	1133	42.6%
2010	65.91	444^th	1183	62.5%
2011	54.48	650^th	1212	46.4%
2012	53.67	678^th	1201	43.5%
2013	59.33	608^th	1225	50.4%
2014	61.78	556^th	1231	54.8%
2015	55.78	500^th	1240	59.7%
2016	53.15	520^th	1233	57.8%
2017	58.53	443^rd	1205	63.2%
2018	36.20	768^th	1209	36.5%
2019	16.53	1041^st	1234	15.6%
2021	44.18	631^st	1214	48.0%
2022	50.86	564^th	1244	54.7%
2023	57.96	474^th	1242	61.8%
2024	55.40	500^th	1248	59.9%

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
Sunday, July 29, 2018

Ruskin is a great school with awesome teachers who truly care about the students and their achievements.
#RiseUpRuskin Close Quote

Enrollment information for Ruskin Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	285	196	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	486
1996	285	196	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	486
1997	279	214	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	501
1998	274	200	0	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	482
1999	289	206	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	504
2000	289	205	0	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	519
2001	306	177	0	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	505
2002	278	177	2	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	483
2003	278	177	2	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	483
2004	280	168	0	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	471
2005	260	171	0	36	0	n/a	n/a	7	474
2006	267	149	0	42	1	n/a	n/a	16	475
2007	254	144	0	38	0	n/a	n/a	11	447
2008	253	143	0	39	0	n/a	n/a	22	457
2009	234	137	1	33	0	n/a	n/a	26	431
2010	239	156	0	42	0	0	25	0	462
2011	247	150	0	48	0	0	22	0	467
2012	237	163	0	57	1	0	32	0	490
2013	222	149	0	52	0	0	33	0	456
2014	226	139	0	49	0	0	31	0	445
2015	208	161	0	52	0	0	31	0	452
2016	186	147	1	59	0	0	33	0	426
2017	190	132	1	49	0	0	33	0	405
2018	208	153	2	49	0	0	39	0	451
2019	173	175	1	51	0	0	36	0	436
2020	175	156	1	53	0	0	40	0	425
2021	171	137	0	52	1	0	41	0	402
2022	165	136	0	58	1	0	31	0	391
2023	155	140	1	50	1	0	32	0	379

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 Ruskin Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	486	36.0	13.5	76.1
1996	486	36.0	13.5	76.1
1997	501	33.0	15.2	81.4
1998	482	37.3	12.9	83.8
1999	504	39.2	12.9	81.2
2000	519	36.5	14.2	79.2
2001	505	30.3	16.7	79.8
2002	483	28.1	17.2	81.4
2003	483	28.1	17.2	81.4
2004	471	26.2	18.0	82.2
2005	474	39.3	12.1	80.7
2006	475	38.5	12.3	86.1
2007	447	38.4	11.6	81.9
2008	457	37.8	12.1	82.5
2009	431	36.1	11.9	87.2
2010	462	34.4	13.4	83.8
2011	467	33.8	13.8	83.3
2012	490	35.0	14.0	86.3
2013	456	33.0	13.8	86.8
2014	445	33.2	13.4	87.2
2015	452	34.0	13.2	90
2016	426	34.0	12.5	90.1
2017	405	32.1	12.6	90.1
2018	451	33.2	13.5	90
2019	436	33.2	13.1	97.7
2020	425	30.7	13.8	97.6
2021	402	34.0	11.8	97.8
2022	391	35.0	11.1	n/a
2023	379	31.5	12.0	93.7

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 Ruskin Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	486	36.0	13.5	76.1
1996	486	36.0	13.5	76.1
1997	501	33.0	15.2	81.4
1998	482	37.3	12.9	83.8
1999	504	39.2	12.9	81.2
2000	519	36.5	14.2	79.2
2001	505	30.3	16.7	79.8
2002	483	28.1	17.2	81.4
2003	483	28.1	17.2	81.4
2004	471	26.2	18.0	82.2
2005	474	39.3	12.1	80.7
2006	475	38.5	12.3	86.1
2007	447	38.4	11.6	81.9
2008	457	37.8	12.1	82.5
2009	431	36.1	11.9	87.2
2010	462	34.4	13.4	83.8
2011	467	33.8	13.8	83.3
2012	490	35.0	14.0	86.3
2013	456	33.0	13.8	86.8
2014	445	33.2	13.4	87.2
2015	452	34.0	13.2	90
2016	426	34.0	12.5	90.1
2017	405	32.1	12.6	90.1
2018	451	33.2	13.5	90
2019	436	33.2	13.1	97.7
2020	425	30.7	13.8	97.6
2021	402	34.0	11.8	97.8
2022	391	35.0	11.1	n/a
2023	379	31.5	12.0	93.7

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 Ruskin Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$1,244 (12.6%)	$8,606 (87.4%)	$9,850
2018	$1,275 (13.2%)	$8,368 (86.8%)	$9,644
2019	$1,555 (14.9%)	$8,911 (85.1%)	$10,466

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ruskin 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 1041^st of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 474^th of 1242 Elementary schools	46.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ruskin Elementary School)	23.8	30	6.2%
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 (Ruskin Elementary School)	24.2	50	25.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	40.5	39	1.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	52	45.6	6.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ruskin Elementary School)	19.4	26.2	6.8%
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 (Ruskin Elementary School)	27.4	36.9	9.5%
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 (Ruskin Elementary School)	28	49.1	21.1%
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 (Ruskin Elementary School)	26.7	58.2	31.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	41.1	37	4.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Ruskin Elementary School)	16	58.2	42.2%
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	436	379	13.1%
African American	175	140	20%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	51	50	2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	173	155	10.4%
Two or More Races	36	32	11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	97.7%	93.7%	4%

Schools Near Ruskin 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
Ruskin Elementary School	Public	K-5	3550 Valdosta Hwy	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2325	379	32	12.0	93.7%	155 (40.9%)	140 (36.9%)	50 (13.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.4%)	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
Williams Heights Elementary School	Public	K-5	705 Dewey St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2399	426	38	11.1	80.3%	161 (37.8%)	206 (48.4%)	22 (5.2%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.0%)	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
Waresboro Elementary School	Public	K-5	3379 W Church St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2393	443	35	12.7	93.7%	275 (62.1%)	91 (20.5%)	44 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.8%)	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
Wacona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3101 State St	Waycross	31503	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2362	937	50	18.9	93.7%	528 (56.4%)	291 (31.1%)	51 (5.4%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (6.6%)	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
Center Elementary School	Public	K-5	2114 Dorothy St	Waycross	31501	Ware County	Ware County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 287-2366	480	35	13.8	93.8%	139 (29.0%)	275 (57.3%)	34 (7.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.3%)	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	353	34	10.3	93.8%	191 (54.1%)	122 (34.6%)	16 (4.5%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.1%)	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
Midway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3244 Midway Church Rd	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 807-0084	489	35	14.0	67.3%	397 (81.2%)	8 (1.6%)	59 (12.1%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.3%)	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
Blackshear Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5217 Ga Highway 121	Blackshear	31516	Pierce County	Pierce County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 449-2088	812	59	13.8	67.1%	531 (65.4%)	136 (16.7%)	89 (11.0%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (5.8%)	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	541	40	13.6	71.2%	488 (90.2%)	12 (2.2%)	20 (3.7%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.3%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruskin Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Ruskin Elementary School?

Students at Ruskin Elementary School are 41% White, 37% African American, 13% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

How many students attend Ruskin Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 379 students attended Ruskin Elementary School.

What district is Ruskin Elementary School in?

Ware County

What schools do graduates of Ruskin Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ruskin Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ware County Middle School
High : Ware County High School

Is Ruskin Elementary School a good school?

Ruskin Elementary School ranks 500^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.