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6.5avg / 10

Clarke County School District

School District · Athens, Georgia

Students: 12,331
Teachers (FTE): 1,213

Avg Rating

6.5

out of 10

Schools

21

14 elem, 4 mid, 3 high

Enrollment

12,331

Student-Teacher Ratio

10.2:1

How this district compares

Georgia rank

#87 of 179

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

+0.1

above Georgia avg

Per-pupil spending

$21,012

+$6,884 vs Georgia median

District size

12,331 students

Much larger than Georgia median

The short answer

Clarke County ranks #87 of 179 Georgia districts by overall school rating. Clarke County's schools with real test data average 6.5/10 across 21 schools. Its top-rated schools are Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School (8.6/10), Whitehead Road Elementary School (8.3/10), and Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School (8.2/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School

Rates 8.6/10 despite 77% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.2 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Clarke County schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Cleveland Road Elementary School

STAAR proficiency rose +15.9 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Clarke County schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Clarke County

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (21 of 21). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School8.6 / 10
2Whitehead Road Elementary School8.3 / 10
3Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School8.2 / 10
4Barnett Shoals Elementary School8.0 / 10
5Whit Davis Road Elementary School7.9 / 10
6Fowler Drive Elementary School7.7 / 10
7Timothy Elementary School7.3 / 10
8Bettye Henderson Holston Elementary School7.3 / 10
9Clarke Middle School7.0 / 10
10Coile Middle School7.0 / 10

See all 21 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Clarke County

Clarke County is a Athens, Georgia school district serving 21 schools.The district educates 12,331 students with a student-teacher ratio of 10.2:1. District-level spending was $21,012 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 6.5/10, Clarke County demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, which has a composite score of 8.6/10.

In standardized testing, Clarke County students show an average math proficiency of 43.7% and ELA proficiency of 46.6%.

The district includes 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 3 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Clarke County, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency43.7%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency46.6%
School
State
Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Clarke County with test data.

District Details

State
Georgia
City
Athens
Total Enrollment
12,331
Teachers (FTE)
1,213
District spending per student
$21,012NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
23.3%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Clarke County?

Clarke County has 21 schools in total — 14 elementary, 4 middle, and 3 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Clarke County?

The average composite rating for Clarke County is 6.5/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Clarke County?

Clarke County's district-level spending was $21,012 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Clarke County?

The average student-teacher ratio in Clarke County is 10.2:1.

What is the top-rated school in Clarke County?

Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is the highest-rated school in Clarke County with a composite score of 8.6/10.

What are the test scores in Clarke County?

Across schools in Clarke County with test data, the average math proficiency is 43.7% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 46.6%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Clarke County compare to other districts in Georgia?

Clarke County has an average school rating of 6.5/10 across 21 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Georgia by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
6.5/10
Math Proficiency
43.7%
ELA Proficiency
46.6%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in GA

Compare Clarke County with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in GA →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Georgia Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

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