Memorial Drive Elementary School

Q: Is Memorial Drive Elementary School a good school?

Memorial Drive Elementary School ranks 536 th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Memorial Drive Elementary School is a public elementary school in Waycross, Georgia, serving 353 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.

While Memorial Drive Elementary School has a relatively high per-student spending and a lower student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools, its academic performance has been consistently below the Ware County and Georgia state averages on the Milestones Assessment. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 3rd-grade English Language Arts proficiency rate was 30.4%, compared to 37.3% for Ware County and 38.4% for the state. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 93.77% to 97.78% over the past few years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Despite the school's challenges, the lower student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending could provide opportunities for implementing more personalized and effective instructional strategies to improve student outcomes. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined from 287 out of 1,231 Georgia elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 536 out of 1,248 in 2023-2024, suggesting that factors beyond just funding and staffing may be contributing to the school's underperformance. Addressing the needs of economically disadvantaged students through targeted interventions and support may be crucial for improving Memorial Drive Elementary School's performance and providing a high-quality education for its students.

Detail:

Public K-5

2580 Ambrose St
Waycross, GA 31503

(912) 287-2327

District: Ware County

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,050

Students who attend Memorial Drive Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Waycross Middle School
High:	Ware County High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.8

Number of students: 372

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.2%

African American:

36.0%

Two or more races:

7.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Georgia elementary schools

Compare Memorial Drive Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Memorial Drive Elementary School ranks better than 57.1% of elementary schools in Georgia. It also ranks 5^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Ware County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.43. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Memorial Drive Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Ware County School District. Racial makeup is: White (49.2%), African American (36%), two or more races (7.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Memorial Drive Elementary School is 10.8, which is the lowest among 6 elementary schools in the Ware County School District! (See more...)

Compare Memorial Drive Elementary School employs 34.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Memorial Drive Elementary School is $10,050. 3 elementary schools in the Ware County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Memorial Drive 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.)

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Rank History for Memorial Drive Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	78.55	188^th	1101	82.9%
2007	75.61	246^th	1125	78.1%
2008	67.13	384^th	1134	66.1%
2009	74.50	256^th	1133	77.4%
2010	73.22	306^th	1183	74.1%
2011	76.21	277^th	1212	77.1%
2012	72.16	341^st	1201	71.6%
2013	68.57	417^th	1225	66.0%
2014	75.48	287^th	1231	76.7%
2015	59.41	442^nd	1240	64.4%
2016	44.30	650^th	1233	47.3%
2017	50.01	554^th	1205	54.0%
2018	47.18	600^th	1209	50.4%
2019	52.34	551^st	1234	55.3%
2021	49.81	561^st	1214	53.8%
2022	30.70	832^nd	1244	33.1%
2023	46.82	597^th	1242	51.9%
2024	52.43	536^th	1248	57.1%

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

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Enrollment information for Memorial Drive Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	540	540
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	535	535
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	508	508
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	466	466
1994	450	29	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	479
1995	276	126	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	404
1996	276	126	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	404
1997	300	144	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	449
1998	274	151	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	428
1999	273	143	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	420
2000	273	183	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	466
2001	265	195	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	467
2002	228	170	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	403
2003	228	170	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	403
2004	217	162	0	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	389
2005	226	166	1	5	1	n/a	n/a	3	402
2006	199	151	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	6	360
2007	207	119	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	6	339
2008	211	127	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	17	361
2009	205	127	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	13	350
2010	212	145	0	14	0	0	12	0	383
2011	216	151	0	13	0	0	12	0	392
2012	220	150	1	15	0	0	12	0	398
2013	219	157	2	11	0	0	13	0	402
2014	207	151	5	14	0	0	12	0	389
2015	197	137	6	15	0	0	18	0	373
2016	185	142	7	14	0	0	29	0	377
2017	186	141	7	16	0	0	33	0	383
2018	168	117	7	19	0	0	24	0	335
2019	176	143	7	17	0	0	26	0	369
2020	160	143	6	15	0	0	22	0	346
2021	177	138	6	16	1	0	23	0	361
2022	193	134	7	15	1	0	27	0	377
2023	191	122	6	16	0	0	18	0	353
2024	183	134	9	16	2	0	28	0	372

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 Memorial Drive Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	540	27.0	20.0	19.4
1991	535	28.0	19.1	20.9
1992	508	29.0	17.5	20.9
1993	466	26.0	17.9	19.7
1994	479	31.0	15.5	28.6
1995	404	31.0	13.0	63.1
1996	404	31.0	13.0	63.1
1997	449	33.0	13.6	68.8
1998	428	33.8	12.7	75.5
1999	420	32.7	12.8	70.7
2000	466	29.0	16.1	69.3
2001	467	29.3	15.9	69.2
2002	403	29.1	13.8	72.5
2003	403	29.1	13.8	72.5
2004	389	27.4	14.2	73
2005	402	34.5	11.7	75.4
2006	360	32.8	11.0	71.8
2007	339	33.6	10.1	70.6
2008	361	30.7	11.8	75.3
2009	350	31.7	11.0	74.8
2010	383	28.2	13.5	75.7
2011	392	28.3	13.8	76.3
2012	398	28.3	14.0	76.9
2013	402	27.9	14.4	79.1
2014	389	28.9	13.4	80.7
2015	373	29.0	12.8	90.1
2016	377	28.0	13.4	90.2
2017	383	29.3	13.0	90.1
2018	335	28.0	11.9	90.1
2019	369	27.4	13.4	97.8
2020	346	27.9	12.4	97.7
2021	361	27.4	13.1	97.8
2022	377	35.2	10.7	n/a
2023	353	34.2	10.3	93.8
2024	372	34.2	10.8	100

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 Memorial Drive Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	540	27.0	20.0	19.4
1991	535	28.0	19.1	20.9
1992	508	29.0	17.5	20.9
1993	466	26.0	17.9	19.7
1994	479	31.0	15.5	28.6
1995	404	31.0	13.0	63.1
1996	404	31.0	13.0	63.1
1997	449	33.0	13.6	68.8
1998	428	33.8	12.7	75.5
1999	420	32.7	12.8	70.7
2000	466	29.0	16.1	69.3
2001	467	29.3	15.9	69.2
2002	403	29.1	13.8	72.5
2003	403	29.1	13.8	72.5
2004	389	27.4	14.2	73
2005	402	34.5	11.7	75.4
2006	360	32.8	11.0	71.8
2007	339	33.6	10.1	70.6
2008	361	30.7	11.8	75.3
2009	350	31.7	11.0	74.8
2010	383	28.2	13.5	75.7
2011	392	28.3	13.8	76.3
2012	398	28.3	14.0	76.9
2013	402	27.9	14.4	79.1
2014	389	28.9	13.4	80.7
2015	373	29.0	12.8	90.1
2016	377	28.0	13.4	90.2
2017	383	29.3	13.0	90.1
2018	335	28.0	11.9	90.1
2019	369	27.4	13.4	97.8
2020	346	27.9	12.4	97.7
2021	361	27.4	13.1	97.8
2022	377	35.2	10.7	n/a
2023	353	34.2	10.3	93.8
2024	372	34.2	10.8	100

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 Memorial Drive Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$1,209 (13.3%)	$7,912 (86.8%)	$9,120
2018	$1,447 (14.1%)	$8,817 (85.9%)	$10,264
2019	$1,169 (11.6%)	$8,881 (88.4%)	$10,050

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Memorial Drive 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 551^st of 1234 Elementary schools	Ranks 597^th of 1242 Elementary schools	3.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Memorial Drive Elementary School)	44.4	32.7	11.7%
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 (Memorial Drive Elementary School)	50	51	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 (Memorial Drive Elementary School)	39.6	20.3	19.3%
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 (Memorial Drive Elementary School)	45.8	26.6	19.2%
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 (Memorial Drive Elementary School)	39.3	39.2	0.1%
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 (Memorial Drive Elementary School)	36.1	40.4	4.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ware County)	41.1	37	4.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	41	37.4	3.6%
5th Grade Science (Memorial Drive Elementary School)	55.7	50	5.7%
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	369	353	4.3%
African American	143	122	14.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	7	6	14.3%
Hispanic	17	16	5.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	176	191	8.5%
Two or More Races	26	18	30.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	97.8%	93.8%	4.1%

Schools Near Memorial Drive 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 Memorial Drive Elementary School

Is Memorial Drive Elementary School a good school?

Memorial Drive Elementary School ranks 536^th of 1248 Georgia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Memorial Drive Elementary School?

Students at Memorial Drive Elementary School are 49% White, 36% African American, 8% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Memorial Drive Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Memorial Drive Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Waycross Middle School
High : Ware County High School

How many students attend Memorial Drive Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 372 students attended Memorial Drive Elementary School.

What district is Memorial Drive 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.