Enrollment
707
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Athens, GA
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130117000456
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Georgia schools.
- #1 of 4
- middle schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 82.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School has class sizes smaller than 76% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Athens, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
57.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.8%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Athens, Georgia, enrolling 707 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 82.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 707 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 370 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #41.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and African American (39%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 354 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Clarke County spends $18,075 per pupil, 30% above the Georgia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 197 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 707 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Athens's middle schools, it stands alongside Clarke Middle School (718 students): Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.4:1 vs 10.3:1).
Clarke County also operates Clarke Central High School (1,907 students) and Cedar Shoals High School (1,489 students) alongside Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School compares
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 14% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.8% | ▲ 36% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 707 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
707
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 24% in Georgia - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$18,075
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 354 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
118
in-school suspensions + 79 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 40.9%
African American 38.9%
White 15.6%
Two or More 3.1%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clarke County, which includes Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School.
$18,075
Per student
+30%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.5%
State 29.2%
Federal 18.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cedar Shoals High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clarke Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Whitehead Road Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hilsman Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,907
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,489
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 718
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 8.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 624
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar middle schools in Athens
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~707 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Clarke County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
How many students attend Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School?
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School has 707 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Athens, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is 12.4:1, which is 14% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 21% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School?
82.8% of students at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.9% of enrollment, in Athens, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School?
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School rank among middle schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Athens, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Athens on the city page.
Is Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School a good school?
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Georgia schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Clarke County?
Besides Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, Clarke County also operates Clarke Central High School (1,907 students), Cedar Shoals High School (1,489 students), and Clarke Middle School (718 students). See the Clarke County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.