Reports from the Georgia Department of Education indicate Hightower Elementary School enrolled 533 Hispanic students in the 2024-25 school year, representing a 6.5% decrease from the prior year.
In total, Hightower Elementary School had 580 enrolled students for 2024-25. Hispanic students accounted for 92% of the enrollment, making them the predominant demographic at the school.
Located in the DeKalb County School District, Hightower Elementary’s central office is in Decatur.
Of the 129 schools within DeKalb County School District, Sequoyah Middle School had the highest number of Hispanic students enrolled in 2024-25, reaching 1,577.
The Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report shows over 1.7 million enrollments statewide in public schools. Enrollment is highest in elementary grades at 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by middle with 388,733 (22.7%), and high school at 539,092 (31.4%).
Chronic absenteeism has continued to challenge Georgia schools following the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing at least 10% of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. The GaDOE has introduced a statewide program, featuring a real-time attendance dashboard, public outreach campaign, and focused support for districts with heightened needs to improve student attendance rates.
In 2025, Georgia legislators approved a law modifying school attendance policies, prohibiting expulsion solely for absenteeism. The legislation also introduced new reporting standards and aligns with alternative diploma programs for students.
As of 2026, Georgia averaged a student-to-teacher ratio of around 14:1, compared to the national ratio of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total Hispanic students | % of Hispanic students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 642 | 545 | 85% |
| 2011-12 | 683 | 566 | 83% |
| 2012-13 | 754 | 618 | 82% |
| 2013-14 | 834 | 683 | 82% |
| 2014-15 | 819 | 679 | 83% |
| 2015-16 | 787 | 668 | 85% |
| 2016-17 | 748 | 650 | 87% |
| 2017-18 | 746 | 656 | 88% |
| 2018-19 | 746 | 663 | 89% |
| 2019-20 | 771 | 686 | 89% |
| 2020-21 | 565 | 502 | 89% |
| 2021-22 | 603 | 542 | 90% |
| 2022-23 | 600 | 534 | 89% |
| 2023-24 | 627 | 570 | 91% |
| 2024-25 | 580 | 533 | 92% |
