Rome Reporter

There were 1,620 eighth grade students enrolled in Gordon County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 4.9% less than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Calhoun Middle School welcomed the largest number of eighth grade students among county schools, registering 608 students during the 2022-23 school year.

Within Gordon County schools, the highest student count was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in third grade.

Statewide, Gordon County ranked 42nd in enrollment numbers, with a total of 17,707 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was ranked 37th the year before.

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	# of 8th Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Calhoun Middle School	608	48.7%	1,248
Red Bud Middle School	602	36.6%	1,646
Ashworth Middle School	410	34.3%	1,197