Clarke Central High School

Q: Is Clarke Central High School a good school?

Clarke Central High School ranks 187 th of 458 Georgia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Clarke Central High School is a public high school located in Athens, Georgia, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,836 students. It is part of the Clarke County School District, which is ranked 146 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Clarke Central High School has seen a decline in its four-year graduation rates, dropping from 86.3% in 2019-2020 to 80.2% in 2021-2022 (lower than the state average of 84.7%), the school has shown some signs of improvement in recent years. Its state-wide ranking and star rating from SchoolDigger have increased from 2 stars in 2018-2019 to 3 stars in the current school year. However, the school's test scores on the Georgia Milestones Assessments are generally lower than the state and county averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 35.4% to 46.4% across various subjects. Additionally, Clarke Central High School has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 82.84% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the state average and indicates a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Oglethorpe County High School and Jefferson High School, Clarke Central High School generally performs worse on key metrics like test scores and graduation rates. Within the Clarke County School District, there is also a notable disparity in performance between Clarke Central High School and the other high school, Cedar Shoals High School, with Cedar Shoals consistently ranking lower on state-wide school rankings and having lower test scores and graduation rates.

Detail:

Public 9-12

350 S Milledge Ave
Athens, GA 30605

(706) 357-5200

District: Clarke County

SchoolDigger Rank:
187^th of 458 Georgia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,892

Feeder schools for Clarke Central High School:

Elementary:	Barrow Elementary School
	Bettye Henderson Holston Elementary School
	Cleveland Road Elementary School
	Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School
	More...
	Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School
	Timothy Elementary School
	Whitehead Road Elementary School
Middle:	Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
	Clarke Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 1,836

Racial breakdown:

African American:

41.0%

Hispanic:

26.3%

White:

25.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 82.8%

See top rated Georgia high schools

Compare Clarke Central High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Clarke Central High School ranks better than 59.2% of high schools in Georgia. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Clarke County School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.01. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Clarke Central High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Student Body

Compare Details Clarke Central High School has the largest high school student body size in the Clarke County School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Clarke Central High School is $9,892, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Clarke County School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Clarke Central High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Clarke Central High School 187^th of 458 Georgia public high schools. (See Clarke Central High School in the ranking list.)

Clarke County:

SchoolDigger ranks Clarke County 146^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Clarke Central High School.

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Rank History for Clarke Central High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	30.50	266^th	335	20.6%
2007	39.22	249^th	358	30.4%
2008	42.18	238^th	370	35.7%
2009	35.86	279^th	372	25.0%
2010	38.38	272^nd	384	29.2%
2011	35.26	304^th	402	24.4%
2012	27.57	319^th	396	19.4%
2013	36.71	297^th	425	30.1%
2014	41.32	262^nd	425	38.4%
2015	30.96	288^th	435	33.8%
2016	42.34	208^th	426	51.2%
2017	34.42	244^th	420	41.9%
2018	37.27	234^th	428	45.3%
2019	36.03	250^th	438	42.9%
2021	42.41	198^th	410	51.7%
2022	38.79	234^th	429	45.5%
2023	45.18	206^th	442	53.4%
2024	50.01	187^th	458	59.2%

See the entire list of Georgia High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Georgia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.7)

33%

by a citizen
Wednesday, September 5, 2012

I graduated from CCHS in 1983. It's sad to see the decline. The only stat I see trending up is free or discounted food. Obviously the cafeteria needs to serve more "smart food" like fish. Unless I'm missing something, it looks like the more free or discounted food you eat, the dumber you get and, in turn, drag down the school... Someone help me understand what happened to my old school. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, October 22, 2010

the students in the honors classes ( Math, History, Science, Latin, Modern languages,English...) have an outstanding education. The classes are rather small and are attended by students who want to learn. Despite our children having attended private schools almost exclusively from grade 1-9 , Clarke Central has challenged our children to excel in academics , sports, and community life.

The honors classes do demand more work and dilligence on the students and this is why the classes are smaller. The students who do not want to be challenged invariably avoid honors classes. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Clarke Central High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1362	1362
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1433	1433
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1451	1451
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1411	1411
1994	646	730	27	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	1426
1995	633	696	36	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	1398
1996	633	696	36	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	1398
1997	678	756	40	37	2	n/a	n/a	0	1513
1998	679	777	33	27	3	n/a	n/a	0	1519
1999	635	775	27	45	4	n/a	n/a	0	1486
2000	600	802	30	61	2	n/a	n/a	0	1495
2001	561	872	28	95	0	n/a	n/a	0	1556
2002	491	789	44	171	3	n/a	n/a	0	1498
2003	491	789	44	171	3	n/a	n/a	0	1498
2004	463	777	41	173	1	n/a	n/a	0	1455
2005	410	779	38	222	2	n/a	n/a	33	1484
2006	397	806	40	240	2	n/a	n/a	34	1519
2007	353	798	40	233	2	n/a	n/a	32	1458
2008	325	843	24	252	2	n/a	n/a	37	1483
2009	311	861	32	254	2	n/a	n/a	35	1495
2010	298	797	25	247	1	1	48	0	1417
2011	298	873	20	262	1	1	51	0	1506
2012	305	830	25	258	2	2	51	0	1473
2013	317	765	22	271	2	0	49	0	1426
2014	303	793	25	304	3	1	43	0	1472
2015	292	738	32	323	5	1	38	0	1429
2016	310	705	36	323	2	1	42	0	1419
2017	322	742	36	371	3	1	50	0	1525
2018	388	775	41	411	4	1	70	0	1690
2019	431	807	40	422	3	0	68	0	1771
2020	454	755	39	438	2	3	69	0	1760
2021	477	748	42	425	2	3	74	0	1771
2022	466	800	43	445	0	4	75	0	1833
2023	467	753	42	482	1	3	88	0	1836

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Clarke Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1362	79.0	17.2	22.5
1991	1433	76.0	18.8	28.5
1992	1451	80.0	18.1	33.1
1993	1411	82.0	17.2	36.5
1994	1426	84.5	16.9	36.7
1995	1398	69.5	20.1	38.4
1996	1398	69.5	20.1	38.4
1997	1513	67.9	22.3	34.8
1998	1519	75.8	20.0	36.6
1999	1486	78.3	19.0	37
2000	1495	80.7	18.5	37.3
2001	1556	85.9	18.1	36.4
2002	1498	87.9	17.0	40.5
2003	1498	87.9	17.0	40.5
2004	1455	89.6	16.2	42.7
2005	1484	87.4	17.0	44.8
2006	1519	91.5	16.6	54.7
2007	1458	93.9	15.5	59.3
2008	1483	101.5	14.6	64
2009	1495	99.2	15.1	69.5
2010	1417	98.7	14.3	71.1
2011	1506	101.7	14.8	72.6
2012	1473	103.1	14.2	72.8
2013	1426	89.5	15.9	76.3
2014	1472	87.0	16.9	77.4
2015	1429	88.0	16.2	70.1
2016	1419	96.0	14.7	92.1
2017	1525	97.5	15.6	92.1
2018	1690	97.5	17.3	92.1
2019	1771	101.8	17.3	92
2020	1760	107.5	16.3	53.2
2021	1771	112.4	15.7	64.3
2022	1833	111.6	16.4	n/a
2023	1836	121.7	15.0	82.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Clarke Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1362	79.0	17.2	22.5
1991	1433	76.0	18.8	28.5
1992	1451	80.0	18.1	33.1
1993	1411	82.0	17.2	36.5
1994	1426	84.5	16.9	36.7
1995	1398	69.5	20.1	38.4
1996	1398	69.5	20.1	38.4
1997	1513	67.9	22.3	34.8
1998	1519	75.8	20.0	36.6
1999	1486	78.3	19.0	37
2000	1495	80.7	18.5	37.3
2001	1556	85.9	18.1	36.4
2002	1498	87.9	17.0	40.5
2003	1498	87.9	17.0	40.5
2004	1455	89.6	16.2	42.7
2005	1484	87.4	17.0	44.8
2006	1519	91.5	16.6	54.7
2007	1458	93.9	15.5	59.3
2008	1483	101.5	14.6	64
2009	1495	99.2	15.1	69.5
2010	1417	98.7	14.3	71.1
2011	1506	101.7	14.8	72.6
2012	1473	103.1	14.2	72.8
2013	1426	89.5	15.9	76.3
2014	1472	87.0	16.9	77.4
2015	1429	88.0	16.2	70.1
2016	1419	96.0	14.7	92.1
2017	1525	97.5	15.6	92.1
2018	1690	97.5	17.3	92.1
2019	1771	101.8	17.3	92
2020	1760	107.5	16.3	53.2
2021	1771	112.4	15.7	64.3
2022	1833	111.6	16.4	n/a
2023	1836	121.7	15.0	82.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Clarke Central High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$1,321 (12.7%)	$9,071 (87.3%)	$10,392
2018	$913 (9.3%)	$8,865 (90.7%)	$9,777
2019	$1,201 (12.1%)	$8,691 (87.9%)	$9,892

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Clarke Central High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 250^th of 438 High schools	Ranks 206^th of 442 High schools	10.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Clarke Central High School)	43.5	38.3	5.2%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Clarke County)	36.5	31	5.5%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Georgia)	47.3	38.9	8.4%
End of Course Biology (Clarke Central High School)	34.3	41.8	7.5%
End of Course Biology (Clarke County)	29.4	33.9	4.5%
End of Course Biology (Georgia)	49	45.5	3.5%
End of Course United States History (Clarke Central High School)	42	30.2	11.8%
End of Course United States History (Clarke County)	34.9	25.1	9.8%
End of Course United States History (Georgia)	48.3	37.1	11.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1771	1836	3.7%
African American	807	753	6.7%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	40	42	5%
Hispanic	422	482	14.2%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	431	467	8.4%
Two or More Races	68	88	29.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	92%	82.8%	9.2%

Schools Near Clarke Central High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment American Literature and Composition (2024)	Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2024)	Milestones Assessment Biology (2024)	Milestones Assessment United States History (2024)	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)	Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)	Milestones Assessment Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment American Literature and Composition End of Course	Milestones Assessment Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment Biology End of Course	Milestones Assessment United States History End of Course	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Clarke Central High School	Public	9-12	350 S Milledge Ave	Athens	30605	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 357-5200	1,836	122	15.0	82.8%	467 (25.4%)	753 (41.0%)	482 (26.3%)	42 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	88 (4.8%)	50	187^th of 458 public high schools	59.2%		45.2	206^th of 442 public high schools	53.4%	19	39.1	39.5	46.4	35.4				$9,892	$1,201	$8,691
Classic City High School	Public	9-12	440 Dearing Ext	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 353-2323	24	4	6.3	83.3%	3 (12.5%)	19 (79.2%)	1 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.2%)	7.3	434^th of 458 public high schools	5.2%					(n/a)	2.1			11.8				$21,598	$1,720	$19,878
Foothills Regional High School	Public	9-12	2415 Jefferson Rd Ste B	Athens	30607	Clarke County	State Specialty Schools I- Foothills Regional High School	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 795-2191	2,519	30	85.1	73.1%	1,145 (45.5%)	889 (35.3%)	319 (12.7%)	19 (0.8%)	5 (0.2%)	4 (0.2%)	138 (5.5%)	42.4	225^th of 458 public high schools	50.9%		50.7	168^th of 442 public high schools	62.0%	57	33.5	13.5	33.3	36.4				$9,769	$303	$9,466
Cedar Shoals High School	Public	9-12	1300 Cedar Shoals Dr	Athens	30605	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 546-5375	1,443	100	14.4	82.8%	190 (13.2%)	686 (47.5%)	488 (33.8%)	13 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	63 (4.4%)	19.1	369^th of 458 public high schools	19.4%		22.9	326^th of 442 public high schools	26.2%	43	22.8	16.2	25.2	16.9				$11,020	$1,328	$9,693
Oconee County High School	Public	9-12	2721 Hog Mountain Rd	Watkinsville	30677	Oconee County	Oconee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 769-6655	1,251	77	16.1	10.2%	1,024 (81.9%)	51 (4.1%)	87 (7.0%)	44 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	43 (3.4%)	90	20^th of 458 public high schools	95.6%		89.5	21^st of 442 public high schools	95.2%	1	73.2	77.0	66.8	79.3				$8,905	$137	$8,768
North Oconee High School	Public	9-12	1081 Rocky Branch Rd	Bogart	30622	Oconee County	Oconee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 769-7760	1,479	88	16.8	9.7%	1,121 (75.8%)	43 (2.9%)	136 (9.2%)	121 (8.2%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (3.7%)	92.7	14^th of 458 public high schools	96.9%		94.5	6^th of 442 public high schools	98.6%	8	69.2	88.3	72.7	77.9				$8,500	$160	$8,339
East Jackson Comprehensive High School	Public	8-12	1435 Hoods Mill Rd	Commerce	30529	Jackson County	Jackson County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 336-8900	1,343	85	15.8	51.6%	888 (66.1%)	110 (8.2%)	281 (20.9%)	13 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (3.8%)	50.4	183^rd of 458 public high schools	60.0%		52.6	159^th of 442 public high schools	64.0%	24	33.8	33.7	51.1	47.4	41.3	37.8	32.0	$9,489	$538	$8,951
Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy	Public	9-12	1007 Austin Rd	Winder	30680	Barrow County	Barrow County	No	No	No	No	(678) 425-2903	1,064	66	16.2	37.7%	615 (57.8%)	122 (11.5%)	212 (19.9%)	56 (5.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (5.4%)	84.7	34^th of 458 public high schools	92.6%					(n/a)	57.3	77.0	70.4	56.5
Madison County High School	Public	9-12	600 Madison St	Danielsville	30633	Madison County	Madison County	No	No	No	No	(706) 795-2197	1,436	95	15.1	48.6%	944 (65.7%)	163 (11.4%)	196 (13.6%)	51 (3.6%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (5.6%)	49.9	189^th of 458 public high schools	58.7%		50.6	169^th of 442 public high schools	61.8%	20	46.8	30.9	45.6	32.3				$9,619	$283	$9,336
Oglethorpe County High School	Public	9-12	749 Athens Rd	Lexington	30648	Oglethorpe County	Oglethorpe County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 743-8124	655	41	15.9	51.1%	390 (59.5%)	126 (19.2%)	99 (15.1%)	15 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.8%)	36.3	261^st of 458 public high schools	43.0%		48.3	186^th of 442 public high schools	57.9%	75	28.0	32.1	35.6	35.2				$9,614	$466	$9,147

Frequently Asked Questions about Clarke Central High School

What schools feed into Clarke Central High School?

Clarke Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Barrow Elementary School
Elementary : Bettye Henderson Holston Elementary School
Elementary : Cleveland Road Elementary School
Elementary : Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School
Elementary : Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School
Elementary : Timothy Elementary School
Elementary : Whitehead Road Elementary School
Middle : Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
Middle : Clarke Middle School

Clarke Central High School

Clarke County:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Clarke Central High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Clarke Central High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Clarke Central High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Clarke Central High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Clarke Central High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Clarke Central High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Clarke Central High School