Enrollment
944
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Marietta, GA
Hightower Trail Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Hightower Trail Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130129000244
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hightower Trail Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Georgia median.
- #1 of 12
- middle schools in Marietta · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 4.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Hightower Trail Middle School has class sizes near the Georgia median. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hightower Trail Middle School ranks #1 of 12 middle schools in Marietta, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
4.9%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-92% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hightower Trail Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hightower Trail Middle School
Hightower Trail Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Marietta, Georgia, enrolling 944 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 4.9% free-meal eligibility runs 92% below the Georgia average.
Enrollment of 944 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 159 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #33.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 378 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
12.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Marietta's middle schools, it stands alongside East Cobb Middle School (1,352 students): Hightower Trail Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 16.9:1).
Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students) and Osborne High School (2,790 students) alongside Hightower Trail 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 Hightower Trail Middle School compares
Hightower Trail 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 | 14.8:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 4.9% | ▼ 92% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 944 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
944
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
4.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 92% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 61% in Georgia - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,203
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
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 378 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
79
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.7 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
White 70.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Asian 10.2%
African American 4.7%
Two or More 4.4%
Largest group: White at 70.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.2, Hightower Trail Middle School is about as mixed as the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cobb County, which includes Hightower Trail Middle School.
$13,203
Per student
-5%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.6%
State 35.4%
Federal 11.9%
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 Hightower Trail Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Osborne High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pebblebrook High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Cobb High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hightower Trail Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,085
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,790
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,705
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,574
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,463
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Marietta
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
East Cobb Middle School
Standard public school
1,352 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Marietta Middle School
Standard public school
1,352 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Dickerson Middle School
Standard public school
1,225 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Dodgen Middle School
Standard public school
1,178 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Mabry Middle School
Standard public school
938 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Daniell Middle School
Standard public school
884 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~944 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hightower Trail Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Hightower Trail Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Cobb 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 Hightower Trail Middle School
How many students attend Hightower Trail Middle School?
Hightower Trail Middle School has 944 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Marietta, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hightower Trail Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hightower Trail Middle School is 14.8:1, which is 3% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hightower Trail Middle School?
4.9% of students at Hightower Trail Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hightower Trail Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Hightower Trail Middle School is White at 70.2% of enrollment, in Marietta, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hightower Trail Middle School?
Hightower Trail Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Hightower Trail Middle School rank among middle schools in Marietta?
By Resource Investment Index, Hightower Trail Middle School ranks #1 of 12 middle schools in Marietta, 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 Marietta on the city page.
Is Hightower Trail Middle School a good school?
Hightower Trail Middle School earns 51/100 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 Cobb County?
Besides Hightower Trail Middle School, Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students), Osborne High School (2,790 students), and Walton High School (2,705 students). See the Cobb 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.