Enrollment
1,216
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Ellijay, GA
Gilmer High School
Federal NCES profile for Gilmer High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130234001053
👥 S:T ratio 33
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gilmer High School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Georgia schools.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Ellijay · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.7:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 43.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Gilmer High School has class sizes larger than 82% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gilmer High School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Ellijay, GA.
School address
District: Gilmer County · Georgia
NCES ID 130234001053 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
73.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.2%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gilmer High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gilmer High School
Gilmer High School is a large high school in Ellijay, Georgia, enrolling 1,216 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,216 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 272 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #203, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 48/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 405 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.3% 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 12 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Gilmer County also operates Clear Creek Middle School (904 students) and Ellijay Elementary School (761 students) alongside Gilmer 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 Gilmer High School compares
Gilmer 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 16% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.2% | ▼ 29% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,216 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,216
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 82% in Georgia - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.2%
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
$12,721
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 405 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
135
in-school suspensions + 65 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 12 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
White 63.4%
Hispanic or Latino 34.2%
Asian 1.0%
Two or More 0.9%
African American 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.1, Gilmer High School is about as mixed as the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gilmer County, which includes Gilmer High School.
$12,721
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.1%
State 35.7%
Federal 16.3%
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 Gilmer High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellijay Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clear Creek Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gilmer High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 904
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 761
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
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 (~1,216 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gilmer High School's federal record.
- Compare Gilmer High School against another school. Compare schools
- Gilmer 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 Gilmer High School
How many students attend Gilmer High School?
Gilmer High School has 1,216 students enrolled. It is a high school in Ellijay, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gilmer High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gilmer High School is 16.7:1, which is 16% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gilmer High School?
43.2% of students at Gilmer High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gilmer High School?
The largest demographic group at Gilmer High School is White at 63.4% of enrollment, in Ellijay, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gilmer High School?
Gilmer High School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Gilmer High School rank among public schools in Ellijay?
By Resource Investment Index, Gilmer High School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Ellijay, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Ellijay on the city page.
Is Gilmer High School a good school?
Gilmer High School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Gilmer County?
Besides Gilmer High School, Gilmer County also operates Clear Creek Middle School (904 students), Ellijay Elementary School (761 students), and Mountain View Elementary (668 students). See the Gilmer 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.