In the 2024-25 school year, Menlo Elementary School reported enrolling three African American students, matching the total from the prior year, data from the Georgia Department of Education shows.
The school’s total enrollment stood at 334 students for 2024-25. African American students represented 1% of that total, ranking among the lowest-represented groups at the school.
Menlo Elementary is part of the Chattooga County School District, which is headquartered in Summerville.
Out of the five schools in Chattooga County School District, Leroy Massey Elementary School reported the largest number of African American students in the 2024-25 school year, at 107 students.
The National Center for Education Statistics indicates that public school students in Georgia are 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 continues to be a significant challenge for Georgia schools in the post-pandemic period, with 20.7% of students absent 10% or more of the school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. To address this, GaDOE initiated a statewide campaign utilizing a real-time attendance dashboard, statewide awareness efforts, and specific support for schools with higher needs to encourage better attendance.
Georgia lawmakers in 2025 approved legislation updating school attendance policies to prohibit expulsions based solely on absenteeism. The law also includes new reporting mandates and aligns with initiatives to provide students alternative routes to earn their diplomas. Details are available here.
By 2026, Georgia’s average student-to-teacher ratio was about 14:1, outperforming the national average of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total African American students | % of African American students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 336 | 6 | 2% |
| 2011-12 | 355 | 7 | 2% |
| 2012-13 | 340 | 3 | 1% |
| 2013-14 | 355 | 0 | 0% |
| 2014-15 | 354 | 0 | 0% |
| 2015-16 | 332 | 3 | 1% |
| 2016-17 | 336 | 0 | 0% |
| 2017-18 | 332 | 0 | 0% |
| 2018-19 | 324 | 0 | 0% |
| 2019-20 | 348 | 0 | 0% |
| 2020-21 | 316 | 0 | 0% |
| 2021-22 | 337 | 3 | 1% |
| 2022-23 | 312 | 3 | 1% |
| 2023-24 | 317 | 3 | 1% |
| 2024-25 | 334 | 3 | 1% |
Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia Department of Education. The source data can be found here.
