Waldo Pafford Elementary School reports 73 multiracial students, accounting for 10% of population in 2024-25

In the 2024-25 school year, Waldo Pafford Elementary School had 73 multiracial students enrolled, reflecting an 11% drop from the prior year, according to Georgia Department of Education data.

The school’s total enrollment reached 735 students, with multiracial students representing 10% of the overall population. This group was the second-smallest among the student demographics reported at the school.

Located within the Liberty County School District, Waldo Pafford Elementary serves students under the district’s administration in Hinesville.

Data shows Bradwell Institute had the district’s highest count of multiracial students in 2024-25, enrolling 168 students out of Liberty County’s 12 schools.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the racial and ethnic breakdown of Georgia public school students was 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 post-pandemic. According to the Georgia Department of Education, 20.7% of students missed 10% or more school days in 2024. In response, the state department launched a new initiative featuring a real-time attendance dashboard, a statewide public awareness campaign, and focused interventions for districts identified as high need to encourage daily attendance.

Georgia lawmakers enacted a bill in 2025 to revise school attendance laws, prohibiting expulsion based solely on absenteeism. The changes include stricter reporting requirements and efforts to support students pursuing alternate diploma pathways, as outlined here.

As of 2026, the average student-to-teacher ratio in Georgia schools stood at roughly 14:1, surpassing the national average of 15:1.