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Middle schools · Atlanta, Georgia · Updated for 2026 on NCES and Georgia data

Best Middle Schools in Atlanta, Georgia

30 middle schools compared, ranked on the evidence each campus reports.

The fieldEvery ranked middle school on the 1–10 scale.
Ranked schools run2.1Destinations Career Academy of Georgia (virtual)to9.6Resurgence Hall Middle Academyon the one-to-ten scale.

30 ranked · top 25 from 3.9 to 9.6 · median 5.8

The brief

I'm choosing a school for

The top-rated middle schools in Atlanta for 2026 are Resurgence Hall Middle Academy (9.6/10), David T Howard Middle School (8.9/10), and Kittredge Magnet School (8.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 30 middle schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Atlanta's middle school landscape spans 27 ranked schools, with performance ranging from developing programs to standout institutions. Resurgence Hall Middle Academy leads the pack at 9.5 out of 10, a full point ahead of second-ranked Ridgeview Charter School. The average composite score across all ranked schools sits at 6.4 out of 10, meaning families who do their homework can find options that meaningfully outperform the metro norm. Ten schools — 37% of the ranked total — clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold, a useful benchmark when sorting through the table below. The top tier includes a mix of charter schools and magnet programs, giving families real variety in academic focus and school structure. Use the table to filter by score, school type, or location, and pay attention to how individual schools perform across multiple metrics before making your short list.

Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.

  1. 1
    Resurgence Hall Middle AcademyState Specialty Schools Ii- Resurgence Hall Middle Academy
    9.6
  2. 2
    David T Howard Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schools
    8.9
  3. 38.7
  4. 48.3
  5. 5
    Atlanta Smart AcademyState Specialty Schools Ii- Atlanta Smart Academy
    8.1
  6. 68.1
  7. 77.9
  8. 8
    Kipp Soul AcademyAtlanta Public Schools
    7.7
  9. 9
    Willis A. Sutton Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schools
    7.6
  10. 106.9
The ten highest-rated middle schools in Atlanta, best first.MySchoolScout composite scores. Updated for 2026 on NCES and Georgia data.

All 30 ranked

Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.

Top 25 of 30

Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades
  1. 1Resurgence Hall Middle AcademycharterState Specialty Schools Ii- Resurgence Hall Middle Academyrating 9.6students 133student-teacher ratio 14.8:1grades 5th–8th
  2. 2David T Howard Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 8.9students 1,056student-teacher ratio 13.4:1grades 6th–8th
  3. 3Kittredge Magnet SchoolDekalb Countyrating 8.7students 551student-teacher ratio 15.7:1grades 4th–6th
  4. 4Atlanta Neighborhood Charter - MiddlecharterAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 8.3students 234student-teacher ratio 11.7:1grades 6th–8th
  5. 5Atlanta Smart AcademycharterState Specialty Schools Ii- Atlanta Smart Academyrating 8.1students 213student-teacher ratio 11.8:1grades 5th–8th
  6. 6Ridgeview Charter SchoolFulton Countyrating 8.1students 963student-teacher ratio 12.2:1grades 6th–8th
  7. 7Ron Clark Academyrating 7.9students 141student-teacher ratio 8.2:1grades 4th–8th
  8. 8Kipp Soul AcademycharterAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 7.7students 344student-teacher ratio 9.8:1grades 5th–8th
  9. 9Willis A. Sutton Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 7.6students 1,555student-teacher ratio 15.2:1grades 6th–8th
  10. 10Cmch Schoolrating 6.9students 124student-teacher ratio 7.1:1grades 1st–8th
  11. 11Sandy Springs Middle SchoolFulton Countyrating 6.8students 774student-teacher ratio 13.1:1grades 6th–8th
  12. 12Peachtree Middle SchoolDekalb Countyrating 6.7students 1,208student-teacher ratio 14.6:1grades 6th–8th
  13. 13Kipp South Fulton Academy SchoolcharterFulton Countyrating 6.0students 380student-teacher ratio 12.7:1grades 5th–8th
  14. 14Camp Creek Middle SchoolFulton Countyrating 5.9students 743student-teacher ratio 14.0:1grades 6th–8th
  15. 15John Lewis Invictus AcademyAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 5.8students 738student-teacher ratio 11.5:1grades 6th–8th
  16. 16Martin L. King Jr. Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 5.7students 801student-teacher ratio 13.8:1grades 6th–8th
  17. 17Sandtown Middle SchoolFulton Countyrating 5.3students 1,004student-teacher ratio 15.7:1grades 6th–8th
  18. 18Christine Elizabeth Academyrating 4.8students 63student-teacher ratio 10.5:1grades 1st–5th
  19. 19Kipp Strive Charter SchoolcharterAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 4.7students 406student-teacher ratio 14.5:1grades 5th–8th
  20. 20Sylvan Hills Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 4.2students 430student-teacher ratio 12.3:1grades 6th–8th
  21. 21Judson Price Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 4.2students 271student-teacher ratio 11.3:1grades 6th–8th
  22. 22Crawford Long Middle SchoolAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 4.1students 649student-teacher ratio 10.5:1grades 6th–8th
  23. 23Herman J. Russell West End AcademyAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 4.1students 366student-teacher ratio 10.2:1grades 6th–8th
  24. 24Kipp Vision Charter SchoolcharterAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 4.1students 403student-teacher ratio 12.2:1grades 5th–8th
  25. 25Kipp Ways Academy Charter SchoolcharterAtlanta Public Schoolsrating 3.9students 395student-teacher ratio 12.7:1grades 5th–8th

Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Georgia education department. Rankings are relative to all public middle schools in Georgia. Learn about our methodology.

The map

The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.
The top 25 middle schools in Atlanta, pinned and colored by score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Campus by campus

What each of the top ten reports.
  1. 1

    Resurgence Hall Middle Academy

    State Specialty Schools Ii- Resurgence Hall Middle Academy

    133 students · 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 5th–8th

    Top 1% in Georgia · charter

    Academics
    9.4
    Growth
    not scored
    Environment
    9.9
  2. 2

    David T Howard Middle School

    Atlanta Public Schools

    1,056 students · 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th

    Top 5% in Georgia

    Academics
    8.4
    Growth
    8.9
    Environment
    9.8
  3. 3

    Kittredge Magnet School

    Dekalb County

    551 students · 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 4th–6th

    Top 8% in Georgia

    Academics
    10.0
    Growth
    9.7
    Environment
    5.3
  4. 4

    Atlanta Neighborhood Charter - Middle

    Atlanta Public Schools

    234 students · 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th

    Top 14% in Georgia · charter

    Academics
    7.0
    Growth
    8.3
    Environment
    10.0
  5. 5

    Atlanta Smart Academy

    State Specialty Schools Ii- Atlanta Smart Academy

    213 students · 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 5th–8th

    Top 17% in Georgia · charter

    Academics
    4.9
    Growth
    10.0
    Environment
    9.4
  6. 6

    Ridgeview Charter School

    Fulton County

    963 students · 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th

    Top 18% in Georgia

    Academics
    7.8
    Growth
    7.5
    Environment
    9.4
  7. 7

    Ron Clark Academy

    141 students · 8.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 4th–8th

    Top 9% in Georgia

    Academics
    not scored
    Growth
    not scored
    Environment
    not scored
  8. 8

    Kipp Soul Academy

    Atlanta Public Schools

    344 students · 9.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 5th–8th

    Top 24% in Georgia · charter

    Academics
    3.8
    Growth
    9.9
    Environment
    9.7
  9. 9

    Willis A. Sutton Middle School

    Atlanta Public Schools

    1,555 students · 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th

    Top 26% in Georgia

    Academics
    6.5
    Growth
    7.5
    Environment
    9.3
  10. 10

    Cmch School

    124 students · 7.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 1st–8th

    Top 30% in Georgia

    Academics
    not scored
    Growth
    not scored
    Environment
    not scored

Questions

What is the best middle school in Atlanta, Georgia?

According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Resurgence Hall Middle Academy is the top-rated middle school in Atlanta with a composite score of 9.6/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.

How many middle schools are in Atlanta, Georgia?

Atlanta has 30 middle schools, including 10 charter schools. Of these, 30 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.

What is the average middle school rating in Atlanta?

Among 30 Atlanta middle schools with a composite score, the average is 5.8/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Georgia).

How does MySchoolScout rate middle schools?

Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Georgia, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.

What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?

A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Georgia, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.

Are charter schools included in the Atlanta middle school rankings?

Atlanta has 10 charter middle schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.

How should I use this ranking?

Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.

Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.

Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.

Explore more