Rome Reporter

Among the many ethnicities represented in Polk County schools, white was the most prevalent among Polk County students in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

Of the 7,525 students attending Polk County schools, 54.9% were white. Hispanic students were the second most common ethnicity, making up 25% of Polk County student body.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Polk County, representing 55.2% of the student body.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county increased 0.6% when compared to the previous year.

While enrollment in Georgia inches closer to pre-pandemic levels, chronic absenteeism remains a serious challenge. In 2023, a significant portion of students (23%) missed 10% or more of their classes. Although this is slightly better than the peak of 25% in 2022, it's still nearly double the pre-pandemic rate of 13% recorded in 2019.

School name	Most prevalent ethnic group	% of Total Student Population	Total Enrollment
Harpst Academy	White	65%	24
Cedartown High School	White	44%	1,452
Cedartown Middle School	White	48%	1,034
Rockmart High School	White	71%	950
Rockmart Middle School	White	67%	711
Eastside Elementary School	White	79%	690
Van Wert Elementary School	White	57%	630
Northside Elementary School	Hispanic	49%	476
Youngs Grove Elementary School	White	61%	459
Cherokee Elementary School	White	46%	556
Westside Elementary School	White	47%	543