Enrollment
1,587
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Marietta, GA
Kell High School
Federal NCES profile for Kell High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130129002526
👥 S:T ratio 32
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kell High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Georgia schools.
- #8 of 9
- high schools in Marietta · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 23.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Kell High School has class sizes larger than 85% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kell High School ranks #8 of 9 high schools in Marietta, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.4%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kell High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kell High School
Kell High School is a large high school in Marietta, Georgia, enrolling 1,587 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.4% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the Georgia average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Georgia, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,587 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 173 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #138, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and African American (25%) (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 23 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 400 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,587 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Marietta's high schools, it stands alongside Osborne High School (2,790 students): Kell High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.1:1 vs 17:1).
Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students) and Osborne High School (2,790 students) alongside Kell 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 Kell High School compares
Kell 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 | 17.1:1 | ▲ 19% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.4% | ▼ 61% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,587 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,587
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 85% in Georgia - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.4%
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
$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
Counselors3.5 FTE
Per 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
255
in-school suspensions + 145 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 43.0%
African American 24.8%
Hispanic or Latino 22.7%
Two or More 6.5%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 43.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.7, Kell 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 Cobb County, which includes Kell High 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 Kell High 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pebblebrook High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Cobb High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kell High 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 high schools in Marietta
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Osborne High School
Standard public school
2,790 students 17:1 students per teacher
Walton High School
Standard public school
2,705 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Marietta High School
Standard public school
2,526 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Wheeler High School
Standard public school
2,401 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Lassiter High School
Standard public school
2,005 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Pope High School
Standard public school
1,793 students 17.9:1 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 (~1,587 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kell High School's federal record.
- Compare Kell High 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 Kell High School
How many students attend Kell High School?
Kell High School has 1,587 students enrolled. It is a high school in Marietta, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kell High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Kell High School is 17.1:1, which is 19% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kell High School?
23.4% of students at Kell High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kell High School?
The largest demographic group at Kell High School is White at 43.0% of enrollment, in Marietta, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kell High School?
Kell High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical 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 Kell High School rank among high schools in Marietta?
By Resource Investment Index, Kell High School ranks #8 of 9 high 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 high schools in Marietta on the city page.
Is Kell High School a good school?
Kell High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Cobb County?
Besides Kell High 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.