Dekalb County School District
School District · Stone Mountain, Georgia
Avg Rating
5.8
out of 10
Schools
131
82 elem, 22 mid, 23 high
Enrollment
91,398
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
Avg Rating
5.8
out of 10
Schools
131
82 elem, 22 mid, 23 high
Enrollment
91,398
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
How this district compares
Georgia rank
#139 of 179
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-0.5
below Georgia avg
Per-pupil spending
$15,368
+$1,240 vs Georgia median
District size
91,398 students
Much larger than Georgia median
The short answer
Dekalb County ranks #139 of 179 Georgia districts by overall school rating. Dekalb County's schools with real test data average 5.8/10 across 129 schools. Its top-rated schools are Robert Shaw Theme School (9.6/10), Dekalb School of the Arts (9.6/10), and Briarlake Elementary School (9.2/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 9.6/10 despite 86% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 4.0 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 Dekalb County schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +21.9 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Dekalb County schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Dekalb County
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (129 of 131). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Shaw Theme School | 9.6 / 10 |
| 2 | Dekalb School of the Arts | 9.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Briarlake Elementary School | 9.2 / 10 |
| 4 | Wynbrooke Elementary School | 9.0 / 10 |
| 5 | Oak Grove Elementary School | 9.0 / 10 |
| 6 | Laurel Ridge Elementary School | 8.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Chamblee Middle School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 8 | Dekalb Early College Academy | 8.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Midvale Elementary School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 10 | Ashford Park Elementary School | 8.3 / 10 |
See all 131 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Dekalb County
DeKalb County School District serves 91,398 students across 131 ranked schools in Georgia, making it one of the larger urban districts in the state. With an average school score of 6.4 out of 10, the district sits in competitive territory, though performance varies considerably from school to school. Families who research individual campuses rather than relying on district-wide averages will find meaningful differences in quality within the same ZIP codes.
At the top of the district stands Robert Shaw Theme School, scoring 9.7 out of 10 — a standout result that places it well above the district's 6.4 average and signals consistently strong academic outcomes. Fernbank Elementary follows at 8.8, with Margaret Harris Comprehensive School close behind at 8.7. Kelley Lake Elementary and Briar Vista Elementary round out the top tier at 8.5 and 8.3, respectively. Four of the five highest-rated schools are elementaries, which suggests families with younger children have particularly strong options to target when choosing where to live or apply.
The gap between the district average and its top performers is notable. Robert Shaw Theme School scores more than three points above the 6.4 district mean — a spread that reflects how much a single school choice can matter in a district this size. Parents should treat the 6.4 average as a floor for comparison rather than a ceiling, since the highest-rated campuses demonstrate what achievement looks like when conditions align.
With 131 schools in the system, DeKalb County offers real variety — different grade configurations, themed programs, and school sizes — but that scale also means doing homework before enrolling pays off. Checking individual school scores, enrollment boundaries, and application requirements will give families a clearer picture than district-level numbers alone. The presence of multiple high-scoring elementaries across different parts of the county means strong options are not concentrated in a single corridor, giving more families a realistic path to top-tier schools.
District Map
Schools in Dekalb County, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Dekalb County with test data.
Schools in Dekalb County
131 schoolsElementary Schools82
Middle Schools22
High Schools23
District Details
- State
- Georgia
- City
- Stone Mountain
- Total Enrollment
- 91,398
- Teachers (FTE)
- 6,360
- District spending per student
- $15,368NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 15.6%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Dekalb County?
Dekalb County has 131 schools in total — 82 elementary, 22 middle, and 23 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Dekalb County?
The average composite rating for Dekalb County is 5.8/10. 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 Dekalb County?
Dekalb County's district-level spending was $15,368 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 Dekalb County?
The average student-teacher ratio in Dekalb County is 14.4:1.
What is the top-rated school in Dekalb County?
Robert Shaw Theme School is the highest-rated school in Dekalb County with a composite score of 9.6/10.
What are the test scores in Dekalb County?
Across schools in Dekalb County with test data, the average math proficiency is 41.1% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 49.3%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Dekalb County compare to other districts in Georgia?
Dekalb County has an average school rating of 5.8/10 across 131 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
- 5.8/10
- Math Proficiency
- 41.1%
- ELA Proficiency
- 49.3%
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 rateOther School Districts in GA
Compare Dekalb County with neighboring districts in the state.
- Gwinnett County (140)
- Cobb County (110)
- Fulton County (106)
- Atlanta Public Schools (87)
- Clayton County (67)
- Savannah-Chatham County (58)
- Muscogee County (53)
- Henry County (50)
- Richmond County (50)
- Forsyth County (42)
- Cherokee County (37)
- Hall County (37)
- Houston County (37)
- Bibb County (35)
- Douglas County (35)
- Paulding County (33)
- Columbia County (30)
- Coweta County (29)
- Department of Juvenile Justice (28)
- Carroll County (24)
- Fayette County (24)
- Dougherty County (22)
- Newton County (22)
- Whitfield County (22)
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.
Related reading
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- Moving before 2027? The federal school choice tax credit follows the state, not youschool choice
- The New School Choice Map: Is Your State Participating in the Federal Tuition Tax Credit?data insights
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