Enrollment
1,907
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Athens, GA
Clarke Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Clarke Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130117000449
👥 S:T ratio 37
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clarke Central High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Athens · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.8:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 82.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Clarke Central High School has class sizes larger than 74% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clarke Central High School ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Athens, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
121.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.8%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clarke Central High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clarke Central High School
Clarke Central High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Athens, Georgia, enrolling 1,907 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 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 96% of state schools at 1,907 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 38 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is led by African American (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 23 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 318 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.8% 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 Cedar Shoals High School (1,489 students): Clarke Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 14.9:1).
Clarke County also operates Cedar Shoals High School (1,489 students) and Clarke Middle School (718 students) alongside Clarke Central 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 Clarke Central High School compares
Clarke Central 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.8% | ▲ 36% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,907 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,907
Bigger than 98% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 74% in Georgia - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
46.8%
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 318 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
177
in-school suspensions + 163 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.8 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 39.2%
Hispanic or Latino 27.4%
White 26.3%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 39.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.9, Clarke Central High School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 23
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clarke County, which includes Clarke Central 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 Clarke Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Shoals High School | Similar size | 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 Clarke Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- 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.
Cedar Shoals High School
Standard public school
1,489 students 14.9:1 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 (~1,907 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clarke Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Clarke Central 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 Clarke Central High School
How many students attend Clarke Central High School?
Clarke Central High School has 1,907 students enrolled. It is a high school in Athens, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clarke Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Clarke Central High School is 15.8:1, which is 10% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Clarke Central High School?
82.8% of students at Clarke Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clarke Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Clarke Central High School is African American at 39.2% of enrollment, in Athens, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clarke Central High School?
Clarke Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Clarke Central High School rank among high schools in Athens?
By Resource Investment Index, Clarke Central High School ranks #3 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 Clarke Central High School a good school?
Clarke Central High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia. 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 Clarke Central High School, Clarke County also operates Cedar Shoals High School (1,489 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.