According to the Georgia Department of Education, East Clayton Elementary School had 478 African American students enrolled in the 2024-25 school year, reflecting a 0.8% decrease from the prior year.
The school’s total enrollment for 2024-25 reached 630. African American students represented 76% of the student population, forming the largest demographic at East Clayton Elementary.
East Clayton Elementary is part of Clayton County School District, whose central office is based in Jonesboro.
Of the 65 schools in Clayton County School District, Lovejoy High School registered the largest number of African American students with 1,614 in the 2024-25 school year.
Over 1.7 million students attended Georgia’s public schools, as reported in the Georgia Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2026-1 overview. Elementary grades accounted for 787,206 students (45.9%), while middle and high schools had 388,733 (22.7%) and 539,092 (31.4%) students, respectively.
Chronic absenteeism has persisted in Georgia schools since 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 launched a statewide effort that includes a live attendance dashboard, a visibility campaign, and specific support for districts identified as high-need to improve daily attendance rates.
In 2025, Georgia legislators updated state attendance laws to prohibit expulsion based solely on absenteeism. The new law requires additional reporting and streamlines support programs designed to help students complete diploma requirements through alternative routes.
As of 2026, Georgia’s average student-to-teacher ratio was approximately 14:1, lower than the national ratio of 15:1.
| School Year | Total Enrollment | Total African American students | % of African American students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 592 | 503 | 85% |
| 2011-12 | 560 | 481 | 86% |
| 2012-13 | 595 | 493 | 83% |
| 2013-14 | 591 | 472 | 80% |
| 2014-15 | 602 | 481 | 80% |
| 2015-16 | 609 | 487 | 80% |
| 2016-17 | 577 | 467 | 81% |
| 2017-18 | 567 | 470 | 83% |
| 2018-19 | 609 | 499 | 82% |
| 2019-20 | 650 | 539 | 83% |
| 2020-21 | 585 | 468 | 80% |
| 2021-22 | 592 | 461 | 78% |
| 2022-23 | 598 | 460 | 77% |
| 2023-24 | 619 | 482 | 78% |
| 2024-25 | 630 | 478 | 76% |
