Data from the Georgia Department of Education shows Hightower Elementary School enrolled 17 African American students in the 2024-25 school year, representing a 5.6% drop from the prior year.
Total enrollment at Hightower Elementary School reached 580 students for the 2024-25 school year. African American students accounted for 3% of the student population and represented the second-largest group on campus.
Located in the DeKalb County School District, the school’s central administration is based in Decatur.
Among DeKalb County School District’s 129 schools, Lithonia High School reported the most African American students in the 2024-25 academic year, enrolling 1,288 individuals.
According to the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 report, more than 1.7 million students were enrolled in Georgia’s public schools. Elementary grades had the largest share with 787,206 students (45.9%), followed by high school with 539,092 (31.4%), and middle school with 388,733 (22.7%).
Georgia schools continue to struggle with chronic absenteeism after the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing 10% or more instructional days in 2024, as reported by the Department of Education. To address this, the agency launched a statewide strategy that includes a real-time attendance dashboard, a public awareness campaign, and targeted interventions for high-need districts to improve daily attendance.
In 2025, Georgia lawmakers approved new attendance requirements prohibiting expulsion solely for absenteeism. The policy also introduces new reporting measures and supports alternative diploma pathways for students.
Georgia’s average student-to-teacher ratio stood at around 14:1 as of 2026, as state data indicates, which is lower than the national ratio of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total African American students | % of African American students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 642 | 57 | 9% |
| 2011-12 | 683 | 61 | 9% |
| 2012-13 | 754 | 75 | 10% |
| 2013-14 | 834 | 75 | 9% |
| 2014-15 | 819 | 81 | 10% |
| 2015-16 | 787 | 62 | 8% |
| 2016-17 | 748 | 44 | 6% |
| 2017-18 | 746 | 37 | 5% |
| 2018-19 | 746 | 29 | 4% |
| 2019-20 | 771 | 30 | 4% |
| 2020-21 | 565 | 28 | 5% |
| 2021-22 | 603 | 24 | 4% |
| 2022-23 | 600 | 36 | 6% |
| 2023-24 | 627 | 18 | 3% |
| 2024-25 | 580 | 17 | 3% |
