Enrollment
1,489
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Athens, GA
Cedar Shoals High School
Federal NCES profile for Cedar Shoals High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130117000453
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cedar Shoals High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #2 of 4
- high schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 82.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Cedar Shoals High School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cedar Shoals High School ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Athens, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
100.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.8%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cedar Shoals High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cedar Shoals High School
Cedar Shoals High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Athens, Georgia, enrolling 1,489 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger 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.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Georgia, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,489 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 84 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #39.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 20 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 298 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Athens's high schools, it stands alongside Clarke Central High School (1,907 students): Cedar Shoals High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 15.8:1).
Clarke County also operates Clarke Central High School (1,907 students) and Clarke Middle School (718 students) alongside Cedar Shoals High 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 Cedar Shoals High School compares
Cedar Shoals High 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.8% | ▲ 36% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,489 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,489
Bigger than 96% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 63% in Georgia - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
60.6%
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 298 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
99
in-school suspensions + 112 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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
African American 47.4%
Hispanic or Latino 34.6%
White 12.8%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, Cedar Shoals High School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clarke County, which includes Cedar Shoals High 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 Cedar Shoals High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clarke Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Whitehead Road Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hilsman Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cedar Shoals High 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
- 718
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 707
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- 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 high schools in Athens
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Clarke Central High School
Standard public school
1,907 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Foothills Charter High School (Central Office - Athens)
Standard public school
1,475 students 50.9:1 students per teacher
Classic City High School
Standard public school
58 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,489 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cedar Shoals High School's federal record.
- Compare Cedar Shoals High 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 Cedar Shoals High School
How many students attend Cedar Shoals High School?
Cedar Shoals High School has 1,489 students enrolled. It is a high school in Athens, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cedar Shoals High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cedar Shoals High School is 14.9:1, which is 3% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cedar Shoals High School?
82.8% of students at Cedar Shoals High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cedar Shoals High School?
The largest demographic group at Cedar Shoals High School is African American at 47.4% of enrollment, in Athens, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cedar Shoals High School?
Cedar Shoals High School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cedar Shoals High School rank among high schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, Cedar Shoals High School ranks #2 of 4 high 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 high schools in Athens on the city page.
Is Cedar Shoals High School a good school?
Cedar Shoals High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median. 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 Cedar Shoals High School, Clarke County also operates Clarke Central High School (1,907 students), Clarke Middle School (718 students), and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School (707 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.