Do you research school records? I’m not talking about yearbooks. Those can be found on the Yearbooks Page. I’m talking about actual school records, such as enrollment, attendance, and grade reports for example. These are interesting source documents because they might record the student’s age, birth date and location, and possibly their parents’ names. All great ways to find this information if you haven’t found them in other documents about your target ancestor. Besides, finding out your grandmother’s grades would be interesting!
The record collection links, listed below, feature school records from the state, and list collections of records that are available for free online.
If you wish to get educated with some basic information regarding what is available and how to navigate your research for school records, you can read these summaries:
- 5 Quick Tips to Get the Most Out of Education Records
- Top 10 Strategies for Finding School Records for Genealogy
- Getting Started With School Records for Genealogy Research
So, what types of records related to schools are maintained and often available?
- School Census
- School Catalogs
- Teacher’s Registers
- Attendance Records
- Report Cards
- Class Logs
- Teacher Rosters
- School Board Meetings/Reports
- Academic Team and Class Photos
- Local Newspaper Articles:
- Graduation Lists
- School Activities
- School Sports
- Student Newspapers
- Alumni Directories and Publications
- Yearbooks
- Yearbook Indexes
And, what types of information can you derive from these school records?
- Name (often includes a middle name which is useful).
- Age
- Physical Characteristics – color/race, disability.
- Birth Date
- Current Residence Address
- Name of Father
- Name of Mother
- Occupations of parents
- Grades
- Classes Taken
- Activities (from Photos)
- Date left school (can help with family residence relocation)
Below is a list of links to free online school record collections for the state;
Note: Some of the links go to sites with not much information and some go to sites with an extensive set of records.
Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.
(Updated February 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
- Athens, Catalogue of the trustees, officers, alumni and matriculates of the University of Georgia from 1785 to 1901
- Athens, Catalogue of the trustees, officers, and alumni of the University of Georgia, from 1785 to 1894
- Baldwin County, List of Childrens Poor School Fund, 1852-1867
- Banks County, School Commissioners Minutes, 1859-1864
- Berrien County, Poor School Record, 1858-1863
- Bibb County, School Childrens schedule, marked returns, 1860
- Bulloch County, Poor School Funds, 1846-1859, School Board Records (number of Children returned), 1860-1864, Court of Ordinary docket of applications, 1878-1890
- Catalog of scholars at the Spring Place Mission School, 1804-1834
- Catoosa County, Minutes and Records of the Board of education, 1875-1896
- Chattahoochee County, Poor School Records, 1857-1884, and School Fund book, 1873-1899
- Clark County, Poor Children report 1852 : [list of Children and their parents]
- Clarke County, Free School report 1858-1912, scholars’ report 1846-1849, and, Poor Children report 1852-1872
- Clay County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Clayton County, Poor School Record, 1860-1878
- Columbia County, Poor School Record, 1828-1831
- Decatur County, Board of Education Minutes, 1871-1916
- Echols County, Board of Education Minutes, 1898-1911
- Elbert County, School Records, 1790-1950
- Emanuel County, Poor School Records, 1824-1858; Common School Register, 1871-1880
- Fairview Community, Henry County, The Makings of Fairview Elementary School 1894-1937
- Floyd County, Poor and Common School Records, 1837-1873
- Glynn County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Hancock County, Miscellaneous School Records, 1837-1913
- Haralson County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Henry County, School Census, 1903-1918
- Houston County, School Records, 1841-1871
- Jasper County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Laurens County, African American Schools, Teachers Monthly Reports
- Lincoln County, Poor School Funds 1852-1871
- Lumpkin County, Minutes of Poor School Fund, 1847-1857
- Lumpkin County, Poor School Fund Minutes, 1847-1884
- Macon, Bibb County, Miscellaneous Records of Mercer University, 1847-1914
- McDuffie County, Minutes, 1872-1960
- Miller County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
- Morgan County, School Commission Records, 1860-1863; tax exempt property, 1877-1956
- Piedmont College Register, 1903-1911
- Piedmont College Register, 1911-1918
- Pierce County, School Minutes, 1871-1929
- Pike County, Poor School Records
- Pulaski County, Poor School Records, 1841-1851, 1857-1868
- Rabun County, Poor School Records, 1842
- Rabun County, School Records of the Poor, 1857-1864
- Record of Students Entering Georgia Colleges and Normal Schools, 1925-1926
- Rockdale County, Education Board Minutes, 1872-1919
- Spalding County, Poor School Records, 1852-1864
- Stewart County, Poor Children School Fund, 19th District 1853-1858
- Taliaferro County, Poor School book, 1830-1867
- Union County, School Records, list of the number of students taught and Record of the School expenses 1859-1864
- Upson County, Miscellaneous School Records
- Upson County, School Records (1834-1871)
- Walker County, Education Survey
- Walton County, Poor School Records, 1829-1839
- Walton County, School Census Records, 1908, 1913, 1918, 1923
- Warren County, Minutes and Records of the Board of Education, 1897-1928
- Washington County, Poor School Records 1856-1857
- White County, History of the Public Schools, 1870 thru 1938
- Whitfield County, Miscellaneous School Records and Photos
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For other Free Georgia Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Obituaries
BMD Records
Photos
Yearbooks
Directories
Divorce Records
Naturalizations
Church Records
School Records
Coroner Records
Voter Records
Probate and Wills
Immigration
Mortuary Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
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