Rome Reporter

There were 319 first grade students enrolled in Chattooga County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 49.4% less than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Trion Elementary School welcomed the largest number of first grade students among county schools, registering 170 students during the 2022-23 school year.

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

Statewide, Chattooga County ranked 82nd in enrollment numbers, with a total of 6,613 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was ranked 75th 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 1st Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Trion Elementary School	170	14.8%	1,148
Menlo Elementary School	76	12.3%	620
Lyerly Elementary School	73	11.6%	631
Leroy Massey Elementary School	0	0%	699