Gray Station Middle School reports 110 African American students for 2024-25 year

In the 2024-25 school year, Gray Station Middle School had 110 African American students enrolled—a 5.2% decrease from the prior year, reports from the Georgia Department of Education show.

With a total of 615 students, African American students accounted for 18% of all enrolled, making them the second-largest demographic group at the school for 2024-25.

The school operates within Jones County School District, whose main office is based in Gray.

Jones County High School had the largest African American student enrollment within the district for the 2024-25 school year, reaching 474 students.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment statewide in Georgia public schools breaks down to 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 remains prominent in Georgia schools post-pandemic. Approximately 20.7% of students missed 10% or more school days in 2024, as noted by the Georgia Department of Education. In response, GaDOE introduced several initiatives statewide, including a live attendance dashboard, educational outreach campaigns, and targeted support for highly impacted districts to raise attendance rates.

Beginning in 2025, Georgia revised its attendance laws, prohibiting expulsion solely due to absenteeism. The revised rules also require expanded reporting and support alternative diploma pathways for students.

By 2026, Georgia’s student-to-teacher ratio averaged about 14:1, slightly better than the national average of 15:1.