Walker County School District, Georgia, elections

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Walker County School District
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District details
School board members: 5
Students: 8,401 (2022-2023)
Schools: 15 (2022-2023)
Website: Link

Walker County School District is a school district in Georgia (Walker County). During the 2023 school year, 8,401 students attended one of the district's 15 schools.

This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.

Elections

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Walker County Schools school board, Post 1

General election

General election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 1

Dennis G. Willerson ran in the general election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 1 on November 5, 2024.


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Walker County Schools school board, Post 3

General runoff election

Special general runoff election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 3

Travis Middleton and Tina Painter ran in the special general runoff election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 3 on December 3, 2024.


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Walker County Schools school board, Post 3

General election

Special general election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 3

Rita Groh, Travis Middleton, Bill Oliver, and Tina Painter ran in the special general election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 3 on November 5, 2024.


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Walker County Schools school board, Post 4

General election

General election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 4

Stacey Meeks ran in the general election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 4 on November 5, 2024.


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Walker County Schools school board, Post 5

General election

General election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 5

Incumbent Phyllis White Hunter ran in the general election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 5 on November 5, 2024.


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Walker County Schools school board, Post 2

General election

General election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 2

Incumbent Karen Harden ran in the general election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 2 on November 8, 2022.


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Walker County Schools school board, Post 3

General election

General election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 3

Incumbent Mike Carruth ran in the general election for Walker County Schools school board, Post 3 on November 8, 2022.


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Election rules

 

Election dates and frequency

See also: Rules governing school board election dates and timing

Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections governed by default state law hold general elections on the Tuesday in the 24th week before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years. This means the general election is in the fourth week of May.

Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections according to default state law hold a general runoff election 28 days following the May general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the fourth week of June if needed.

Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold primary elections on the Tuesday in the 24th week before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years. This means the primary election is held in the fourth week of May in even-numbered years.

Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold primary runoff elections 28 days following the May primary election if no candidate for a given political party receives a majority of votes in the primary election. This means a primary runoff election is held in the fourth week of June in even-numbered years if needed.

Public school districts holding partisan school board elections governed by default state law hold general elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years.

Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold general runoff elections 28 days following the November general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the first week of December in even-numbered years if needed.

According to its district charter enacted by the Georgia General Assembly, the Atlanta Public Schools district holds its nonpartisan school board general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in odd-numbered years.

The Atlanta Public Schools district holds a general runoff election 28 days following the November general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the first week of December in odd-numbered years if needed.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-501 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150
and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Section 21-2-152
and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Section 21-2-501
and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter

Recent or upcoming election dates for school districts with nonpartisan elections held according to default state law

Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts with nonpartisan elections held according to default state law. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.

  • Filing deadline date: March 6, 2026
  • General election date: May 19, 2026
  • General runoff election date: June 16, 2026
Recent or upcoming election dates for school districts that have opted to hold partisan elections according to default state law

Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts that have opted to hold partisan elections according to default state law. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.

  • Filing deadline date: March 6, 2026
  • Primary election date: May 19, 2026
  • Primary runoff election date: June 16, 2026
  • General election date: November 3, 2026
  • General runoff election date: December 1, 2026


Election system

Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections governed by default state law elect school board members through a system of a general election and a general runoff election if needed.

Public school districts holding partisan school board elections governed by default state law elect school board members through a system of a primary election, a primary runoff election if needed, a general election, and a general runoff election if needed.

According to its district charter enacted by the Georgia General Assembly, the Atlanta Public Schools district elects school board members through a system of a general election and a general runoff election if needed.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter

Party labels on the ballot

See also: Rules governing party labels in school board elections

State law allows for school boards to be elected either in partisan elections with party primaries nominating candidates or in nonpartisan elections without primaries. In partisan elections, the party affiliations of party nominees are displayed on the ballot. In nonpartisan elections, candidates are listed on the ballot without party labels. As of 2021, 109 school districts (61%) had nonpartisan elections. Georgia Statute Section Section 20-2-56 says, "the General Assembly may provide by local law for the election in nonpartisan elections of candidates to fill the offices of members of boards of education." Georgia Statue Section 21-2-139 says, "Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, the General Assembly may provide by local Act for the election in nonpartisan elections of candidates to fill county judicial offices, offices of local boards of education, and offices of consolidated governments which are filled by the vote of the electors of said county or political subdivision."

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Statute Section 20-2-56 and Section 21-2-139

Winning an election

In Georgia, for both primary and general elections, if no school board candidate receives a majority of votes, the top two candidates with the most votes advance to a runoff election. In a primary election, if a school board candidate receives a majority of votes, that candidate is elected as the party's nominee in the general election. If not candidate gets a majority of votes, a primary runoff election is held between the top two candidates with the most votes to determine the party's nominee. In a general election, if a school board candidate receives a majority of votes, that candidate is elected to office. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general, a general runoff election is held between the top two candidates with the most votes to determine which is elected to office.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Section 21-2-150

Term length and staggering

Georgia Statute provides that public school districts have four-year board member terms except that the General Assembly can provide for shorter or longer terms for specific districts. As of 2022, 172 districts (96%) had four-year school board terms.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52

School boards in Georgia have staggered terms by default, with as close to half of board seats as possible generally elected to four-year terms every two years. Term length and staggering can be changed through special acts. County school districts with a homestead option sales and use tax and a county sales and use tax for educational purposes must have school boards with staggered four-year terms.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52.1 and Section 20-2-52

Representation: at large vs. by sub-district

In Georgia, school board members are elected at large, by sub-district, or through a combination of the two depending on the district. County school districts with a homestead option sales and use tax and a county sales and use tax for educational purposes must elect all of their school board members from single-member districts. As of 2021, 110 districts (61%) elected all board members by single-member sub-districts, 52 districts (29%) elected board members through a combination of at large and by sub-district, and 18 districts (10%) elected board members at large.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52.1

Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates

In Georgia, the filing deadline for school board candidates running in nonpartisan elections according to default state law is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the May general election. This means the school board candidate filing deadline for these districts is in the first half of March of even-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.

In Georgia, the filing deadline for school board candidates running in partisan elections is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the May primary election. This means the school board candidate filing deadline for these districts is in the first half of March of even-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.

The candidate filing deadline for Atlanta Public Schools district school board elections is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the district's November odd-year elections, which means the filing deadline is in late August of odd-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-153 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter

In Georgia, school board candidates running in nonpartisan elections according to default state law can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the May general election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in early March of even-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.

In Georgia, school board candidates running in partisan elections can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the May primary election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in early March of even-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.

School board candidates running for the Atlanta Public Schools district board can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the November general election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in mid-August of odd-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.

DocumentIcon.jpg See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-153 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter


 


About the district

School board

The Walker County School District consists of five members serving four-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.

List of school board members
NameSeatYear assumed officeYear term ends
Travis MiddletonPost 3
Kevin RichardsonPost 4
Dennis WillersonPost 1
Karen HardenPost 22022
Phyllis HunterPost 52004

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District map

Overlapping state house districts

Walker County School District
Office NameCurrent OfficeholderParty% School District Covered% Other District Covered
Georgia House of Representatives District 1Mike CameronRepublican Party 56% 59%
Georgia House of Representatives District 2Steve TarvinRepublican Party 44% 56%

The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]

Revenue, 2020-2021
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $13,688,000 $1,627 12%
Local: $35,490,000 $4,217 30%
State: $68,466,000 $8,136 58%
Total: $117,644,000 $13,980
Expenditures, 2020-2021
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $103,152,000 $12,258
Total Current Expenditures: $99,750,000 $11,853
Instructional Expenditures: $63,311,000 $7,523 61%
Student and Staff Support: $9,972,000 $1,185 10%
Administration: $8,520,000 $1,012 8%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $17,947,000 $2,132 17%
Total Capital Outlay: $2,130,000 $253
Construction: $1,581,000 $187
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $126,000 $14
Interest on Debt: $352,000 $41

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 25 >=50 6-9 30-34 <50 20-24 26
2018-2019 35 60-79 20-24 30-34 <50 25-29 37
2017-2018 35 60-79 15-19 30-34 <50 25-29 36
2016-2017 35 40-59 15-19 30-34 >=50 25-29 37
2015-2016 35 60-79 15-19 25-29 <50 25-29 37
2014-2015 33 40-59 15-19 30-34 PS 25-29 34
2013-2014 79 >=80 65-69 80-84 >=50 75-79 80
2012-2013 84 >=80 75-79 80-84 PS 85-89 85
2011-2012 85 >=80 75-79 85-89 >=50 80-84 86
2010-2011 86 >=80 70-74 85-89 PS 85-89 87

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 29 >=50 10-14 25-29 <50 20-24 30
2018-2019 39 >=50 20-24 30-34 <50 25-29 41
2017-2018 35 >=50 15-19 25-29 <50 20-24 37
2016-2017 34 40-59 20-24 30-34 <50 25-29 36
2015-2016 34 40-59 20-24 25-29 PS 25-29 36
2014-2015 34 60-79 15-19 25-29 PS 25-29 35
2013-2014 96 >=50 90-94 >=95 >=50 >=95 96
2012-2013 95 >=80 85-89 >=95 PS >=95 96
2011-2012 95 >=80 90-94 >=95 >=50 >=95 96
2010-2011 92 >=80 85-89 90-94 PS 90-94 93

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2019-2020 91 PS >=90 >=80 >=80 90
2018-2019 88 PS >=90 >=80 PS >=80 87
2017-2018 88 PS >=90 >=50 PS >=80 87
2016-2017 85 >=90 >=80 >=90 85
2015-2016 86 PS 80-89 >=80 >=80 86
2014-2015 82 PS 80-89 >=50 >=80 82
2013-2014 78 70-79 60-79 79
2012-2013 73 70-79 >=50 >=50 72
2011-2012 69 PS 80-89 >=80 PS 60-79 68
2010-2011 68 PS 60-69 >=50 PS >=50 67

Students

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2022-2023 8,401 0.4
2021-2022 8,366 -0.6
2020-2021 8,415 -3.1
2019-2020 8,680 0.0
2018-2019 8,677 -1.5
2017-2018 8,810 -1.5
2016-2017 8,943 -1.0
2015-2016 9,030 -1.2
2014-2015 9,134 -0.4
2013-2014 9,169 1.7
2012-2013 9,014 -1.8
2011-2012 9,173 -0.8
2010-2011 9,242 -0.9
2009-2010 9,324 -0.6
2008-2009 9,382 1.0
2007-2008 9,287 0.0
2006-2007 9,290 2.2
2005-2006 9,082 1.1
2004-2005 8,980 1.8
2003-2004 8,820 -0.3
2002-2003 8,844 0.1
2001-2002 8,839 -0.7
2000-2001 8,901 1.9
1999-2000 8,728 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2022-2023
RACE Walker County School District (%) Georgia K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.2 0.2
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 0.4 4.7
Black 4.9 36.4
Hispanic 4.5 18.1
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.0 0.1
Two or More Races 5.8 4.6
White 84.2 35.9

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Staff

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]

As of the 2022-2023 school year, Walker County School District had 692.80 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 12.13.

Teachers, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 20.00
Kindergarten: 37.50
Elementary: 215.40
Secondary: 228.20
Total: 692.80

Walker County School District employed 10.10 district administrators and 37.10 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Administrators, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 10.10
District Administrative Support: 13.50
School Administrators: 37.10
School Administrative Support: 67.00
Other staff, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 163.70
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 17.20
Total Guidance Counselors: 24.50
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 9.00
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 15.50
Librarians/Media Specialists: 15.00
Library/Media Support: 2.00
Student Support Services: 84.00
Other Support Services: 273.90

Schools

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]

The Walker County School District operates 15 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Chattanooga Valley Elementary School462PK-5
Chattanooga Valley Middle School4916-8
Cherokee Ridge Elementary562PK-5
Fairyland Elementary School279PK-5
Gilbert Elementary School508PK-5
Lafayette High School1,1649-12
Lafayette Middle School5756-8
Naomi Elementary School327PK-5
North Lafayette Elementary School432PK-5
Ridgeland High School1,2449-12
Rock Spring Elementary School412PK-5
Rossville Elementary School416PK-5
Rossville Middle School4446-8
Saddle Ridge Elementary And Middle School660PK-8
Stone Creek Elementary School425PK-5

About school boards

Education legislation in Georgia

Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.

See also

School Boards Education Policy Local Politics Georgia
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External links

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  • Footnotes