Durham Middle School enrolled 166 African American students for 2024-25

In the 2024-25 school year, Durham Middle School had 166 African American students enrolled, reflecting a 9.9% increase from the prior year, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

Durham Middle School’s total enrollment reached 981 students in 2024-25. African American students represented 17% of the school population, making them the second-largest demographic group at the school.

Located in the Cobb County School District, Durham Middle School’s central office is based in Marietta.

Among Cobb County School District’s 110 schools, McEachern High School reported the highest number of African American students for the 2024-25 school year, with 1,389 enrolled.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicate that Georgia’s public school student population consisted of 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 continues to be a significant challenge in Georgia schools after the pandemic, with 20.7% of students missing at least 10% of school days in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Education. In response, GaDOE has implemented a statewide initiative featuring a real-time attendance dashboard, a public awareness campaign, and targeted support for districts with high needs to improve daily attendance rates.

In 2025, lawmakers in Georgia approved changes to attendance laws that prohibit expulsion solely based on absenteeism. The new law also requires additional reporting and supports alternative diploma pathways for students.

By 2026, Georgia reported an average student-to-teacher ratio of around 14:1, which is better than the national ratio of 15:1.