Enrollment
942
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Atlanta, GA
South Atlanta High School
Federal NCES profile for South Atlanta High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130012004240
👥 S:T ratio 33
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Atlanta High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Georgia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #14 of 19
- high schools in Atlanta · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South Atlanta High School has class sizes larger than 83% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Atlanta High School ranks #14 of 19 high schools in Atlanta, GA.
School address
District: Atlanta Public Schools · Georgia
NCES ID 130012004240 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Atlanta High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Atlanta High School
South Atlanta High School is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Atlanta, Georgia, enrolling 942 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Georgia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 942 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.
Against 277 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #158.
Its student body is predominantly African American (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 21/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 314 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 69.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Atlanta Public Schools spends $22,882 per pupil, 65% above the Georgia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 202 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 942 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Atlanta's high schools, it stands alongside North Atlanta High School (2,368 students): South Atlanta High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 16.1:1).
Atlanta Public Schools also operates North Atlanta High School (2,368 students) and Midtown High School (1,696 students) alongside South Atlanta 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 South Atlanta High School compares
South Atlanta 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 | 16.8:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 65% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 942 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
942
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 83% in Georgia - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
69.9%
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
$22,882
per pupil, district-wide
- above Georgia avg of $13,863
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 314 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 201 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 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 88.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Two or More 1.7%
White 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 88.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.6, South Atlanta High School is less mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Atlanta Public Schools, which includes South Atlanta High School.
$22,882
Per student
+65%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
+38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.7%
State 15.6%
Federal 15.7%
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 South Atlanta High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Atlanta High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Midtown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Willis a. Sutton Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Maynard Jackson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benjamin E. Mays High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Atlanta High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,368
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,696
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,619
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,549
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,338
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Atlanta
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
North Atlanta High School
Standard public school
2,368 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Lakeside High School
Standard public school
2,234 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Westlake High School
Standard public school
2,056 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Riverwood International Charter School
Standard public school
1,737 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Midtown High School
Standard public school
1,696 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Maynard Jackson High School
Standard public school
1,549 students 14.6:1 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 (~942 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Atlanta High School's federal record.
- Compare South Atlanta High School against another school. Compare schools
- Atlanta Public Schools'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 South Atlanta High School
How many students attend South Atlanta High School?
South Atlanta High School has 942 students enrolled. It is a high school in Atlanta, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Atlanta High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Atlanta High School is 16.8:1, which is 17% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Atlanta High School?
100.0% of students at South Atlanta High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Atlanta High School?
The largest demographic group at South Atlanta High School is African American at 88.6% of enrollment, in Atlanta, GA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Atlanta High School?
South Atlanta High School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 South Atlanta High School rank among high schools in Atlanta?
By Resource Investment Index, South Atlanta High School ranks #14 of 19 high schools in Atlanta, 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 Atlanta on the city page.
Is South Atlanta High School a good school?
South Atlanta High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Georgia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Atlanta Public Schools?
Besides South Atlanta High School, Atlanta Public Schools also operates North Atlanta High School (2,368 students), Midtown High School (1,696 students), and Willis a. Sutton Middle School (1,619 students). See the Atlanta Public Schools 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.