Enrollment
866
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Marietta, GA
Smitha Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Smitha Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 130129000242
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smitha Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of Georgia schools.
- #7 of 12
- middle schools in Marietta · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 69.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Smitha Middle School has class sizes smaller than 72% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smitha Middle School ranks #7 of 12 middle schools in Marietta, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
68.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smitha Middle School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smitha Middle School
Smitha Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Marietta, Georgia, enrolling 866 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 69.0% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 866 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 296 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #74.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 289 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 344 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 866 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Marietta's middle schools, it stands alongside East Cobb Middle School (1,352 students): Smitha Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.7:1 vs 16.9:1).
Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students) and Osborne High School (2,790 students) alongside Smitha 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 Smitha Middle School compares
Smitha 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 12% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.0% | ▲ 14% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 866 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
866
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 28% in Georgia - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.9%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 289 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
189
in-school suspensions + 155 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 21.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 63.2%
African American 26.9%
White 5.0%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 63.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.5, Smitha Middle School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cobb County, which includes Smitha 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 Smitha Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Osborne High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pebblebrook High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Cobb High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smitha 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
Hightower Trail Middle School
Standard public school
944 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Mabry Middle School
Standard public school
938 students 16.5:1 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 (~866 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smitha Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Smitha 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 Smitha Middle School
How many students attend Smitha Middle School?
Smitha Middle School has 866 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Marietta, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smitha Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Smitha Middle School is 12.7:1, which is 12% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 19% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smitha Middle School?
69.0% of students at Smitha Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smitha Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Smitha Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 63.2% of enrollment, in Marietta, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smitha Middle School?
Smitha Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 Smitha Middle School rank among middle schools in Marietta?
By Resource Investment Index, Smitha Middle School ranks #7 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 Smitha Middle School a good school?
Smitha Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 Smitha 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.