African American students account for 18% of Saint Marys Elementary School enrollment in 2024-25

Saint Marys Elementary School registered 110 African American students in the 2024-25 school year, reflecting a 25% increase compared to the prior year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

For the 2024-25 period, enrollment at Saint Marys Elementary School totaled 614 students. African American students represented 18% of the total, making them the school’s second-largest racial group.

The school operates within Camden County School District, which has its main office in Kingsland.

Camden County High School, one of 12 schools in the Camden County School District, had the largest African American enrollment in the 2024-25 school year with 648 students.

Reports from the National Center for Education Statistics show that Georgia’s public schools enrolled students who were about 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 a significant concern in Georgia schools following the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing 10% or more days in 2024, the Georgia Department of Education reports. The department responded with a statewide effort that includes a real-time attendance system, a public awareness campaign, and special resources for districts with high levels of absenteeism.

In 2025, state lawmakers revised attendance laws so that students can no longer be expelled solely for repeated absences. The changes also create new reporting guidelines and align with diploma programs offering alternative graduation options for students.

By 2026, Georgia’s average student-to-teacher ratio was about 14:1, which compares favorably with the national ratio of 15:1.