Hilsman Middle School

Summary:

Hilsman Middle School is a public middle school located in Athens, Georgia, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 628 students. The school 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. Hilsman Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Georgia middle schools, with a ranking between 324 and 446 over the past 10 years and a 1- or 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hilsman Middle School's test scores are significantly lower than the state and county averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 18% of 6th graders, 29.2% of 7th graders, and 31.8% of 8th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 41.6%, 39.8%, and 44.7%, respectively. The school's math proficiency rates are also low, ranging from 10.7% to 31.8% across the grade levels, compared to the state averages of 34.7% to 43.7%. Additionally, Hilsman Middle School has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 81.92% to 82.8% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state and county averages.

When comparing Hilsman Middle School to the nearby schools in the same district, such as Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, Coile Middle School, and Clarke Middle School, as well as other nearby districts like East Jackson, Bear Creek, Madison County, and Oglethorpe County, Hilsman consistently underperforms. The nearby schools, especially those in the Oconee County School District, have significantly higher test scores, lower free and reduced lunch rates, and better overall performance metrics.

Detail:

Public 6-8

870 Gaines School Rd
Athens, GA 30605

(706) 548-7281

District: Clarke County

SchoolDigger Rank:
443^rd of 588 Georgia Middle Schools

Students who attend Hilsman Middle School usually attend:

High:

Cedar Shoals High School

Feeder schools for Hilsman Middle School:

Elementary:	Barnett Shoals Elementary School
	Gaines Elementary School
	Whit Davis Road Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.6

Number of students: 628

Racial breakdown:

African American:

57.6%

White:

21.0%

Hispanic:

13.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 82.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Hilsman Middle School ranks worse than 75.3% of middle schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.75. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

Hilsman Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Hilsman Middle School 443^rd of 588 Georgia public middle schools. (See Hilsman Middle School in the ranking list.)

Clarke County:

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

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Hilsman Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	22.32	369^th	420	12.1%
2007	22.06	393^rd	445	11.7%
2008	23.64	398^th	462	13.9%
2009	36.67	351^st	466	24.7%
2010	47.72	290^th	494	41.3%
2011	41.85	339^th	504	32.7%
2012	45.39	329^th	508	35.2%
2013	28.72	429^th	527	18.6%
2014	31.84	417^th	521	20.0%
2015	38.58	324^th	537	39.7%
2016	30.67	387^th	545	29.0%
2017	35.41	353^rd	539	34.5%
2018	29.85	397^th	543	26.9%
2019	25.17	438^th	559	21.6%
2021	18.90	446^th	542	17.7%
2022	27.89	407^th	567	28.2%
2023	31.00	399^th	577	30.8%
2024	24.75	443^rd	588	24.7%

See the entire list of Georgia Middle 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: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Monday, September 27, 2010

It's not very child friendly. Like, I think that most of the teachers don't consider students when they make decisions. They can also be very discouraging and a lot of the people in power are he types that like to bully students. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hilsman Middle School

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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	744	744
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	858	858
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	869	869
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	862	862
1994	336	431	19	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	796
1995	211	339	15	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	577
1996	211	339	15	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	577
1997	172	413	15	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	631
1998	152	393	27	40	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
1999	138	371	14	48	0	n/a	n/a	0	571
2000	128	357	25	54	0	n/a	n/a	0	564
2001	145	384	20	45	0	n/a	n/a	0	594
2002	228	422	35	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	710
2003	228	422	35	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	710
2004	212	421	31	19	1	n/a	n/a	0	684
2005	181	472	30	25	1	n/a	n/a	24	733
2006	158	453	21	27	3	n/a	n/a	25	687
2007	173	473	20	33	4	n/a	n/a	33	736
2008	164	441	17	46	2	n/a	n/a	31	701
2009	187	395	16	44	3	n/a	n/a	32	677
2010	167	417	30	46	2	0	30	0	692
2011	171	420	29	48	0	0	37	0	705
2012	144	389	34	60	1	0	34	0	662
2013	134	407	24	73	0	1	41	0	680
2014	149	411	13	73	1	1	26	0	674
2015	147	416	12	79	1	1	38	0	694
2016	153	430	10	71	1	0	34	0	699
2017	145	406	13	79	0	0	29	0	672
2018	134	424	13	87	0	2	34	0	694
2019	121	416	13	91	1	3	38	0	683
2020	127	421	12	100	2	2	31	0	695
2021	121	402	8	89	2	0	25	0	647
2022	130	377	10	88	1	0	37	0	643
2023	132	362	7	82	1	0	44	0	628

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 Hilsman Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	744	49.0	15.1	32.8
1991	858	53.0	16.1	44.1
1992	869	58.5	14.8	46.3
1993	862	52.0	16.6	50.5
1994	796	60.4	13.2	48.7
1995	577	45.0	12.8	58.2
1996	577	45.0	12.8	58.2
1997	631	45.4	13.9	71.5
1998	612	48.0	12.8	71.1
1999	571	46.7	12.2	76
2000	564	47.3	11.9	76.8
2001	594	47.6	12.5	64.8
2002	710	50.4	14.1	62
2003	710	50.4	14.1	62
2004	684	53.1	12.9	62.4
2005	733	55.0	13.3	65.9
2006	687	52.2	13.2	62.8
2007	736	56.2	13.1	74.1
2008	701	59.4	11.8	70.4
2009	677	64.8	10.4	68.8
2010	692	61.2	11.3	71.1
2011	705	58.7	12.0	71.8
2012	662	58.5	11.3	75.4
2013	680	57.6	11.8	81
2014	674	56.5	11.9	80.4
2015	694	60.0	11.5	75.1
2016	699	61.0	11.4	92.1
2017	672	60.0	11.2	92.1
2018	694	57.0	12.1	92.1
2019	683	57.0	11.9	92.1
2020	695	54.0	12.8	86
2021	647	62.7	10.3	81.9
2022	643	59.6	10.7	n/a
2023	628	58.8	10.6	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 Hilsman Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	744	49.0	15.1	32.8
1991	858	53.0	16.1	44.1
1992	869	58.5	14.8	46.3
1993	862	52.0	16.6	50.5
1994	796	60.4	13.2	48.7
1995	577	45.0	12.8	58.2
1996	577	45.0	12.8	58.2
1997	631	45.4	13.9	71.5
1998	612	48.0	12.8	71.1
1999	571	46.7	12.2	76
2000	564	47.3	11.9	76.8
2001	594	47.6	12.5	64.8
2002	710	50.4	14.1	62
2003	710	50.4	14.1	62
2004	684	53.1	12.9	62.4
2005	733	55.0	13.3	65.9
2006	687	52.2	13.2	62.8
2007	736	56.2	13.1	74.1
2008	701	59.4	11.8	70.4
2009	677	64.8	10.4	68.8
2010	692	61.2	11.3	71.1
2011	705	58.7	12.0	71.8
2012	662	58.5	11.3	75.4
2013	680	57.6	11.8	81
2014	674	56.5	11.9	80.4
2015	694	60.0	11.5	75.1
2016	699	61.0	11.4	92.1
2017	672	60.0	11.2	92.1
2018	694	57.0	12.1	92.1
2019	683	57.0	11.9	92.1
2020	695	54.0	12.8	86
2021	647	62.7	10.3	81.9
2022	643	59.6	10.7	n/a
2023	628	58.8	10.6	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 Hilsman Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$1,297 (10.8%)	$10,726 (89.2%)	$12,023
2018	$1,067 (9.1%)	$10,654 (90.9%)	$11,721
2019	$1,170 (9.6%)	$11,020 (90.4%)	$12,191

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hilsman Middle 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 438^th of 559 Middle schools	Ranks 399^th of 577 Middle schools	9.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Hilsman Middle School)	29.8	25	4.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Clarke County)	33.5	25.4	8.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	46	39.2	6.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hilsman Middle School)	26.4	15.8	10.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Clarke County)	26.5	20	6.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	40	32.9	7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hilsman Middle School)	25.4	26.7	1.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Clarke County)	26.5	26.7	0.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	39	39.1	0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hilsman Middle School)	23.5	22.7	0.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Clarke County)	29.8	24.9	4.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	43	34.9	8.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hilsman Middle School)	31.4	26.5	4.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Clarke County)	33.5	28.6	4.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	47	42.1	4.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hilsman Middle School)	26.6	25.4	1.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Clarke County)	25.1	25.3	0.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	35	36.2	1.2%
8th Grade Science (Hilsman Middle School)	8	0	8%
8th Grade Science (Clarke County)	7.6	0	7.6%
8th Grade Science (Georgia)	32	28.9	3.1%
8th Grade Social Studies (Hilsman Middle School)	21.6	30.8	9.2%
8th Grade Social Studies (Clarke County)	24	26.9	2.9%
8th Grade Social Studies (Georgia)	41	35.9	5.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	683	628	8.1%
African American	416	362	13%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	13	7	46.2%
Hispanic	91	82	9.9%
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	121	132	9.1%
Two or More Races	38	44	15.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	92.1%	82.8%	9.3%

Schools Near Hilsman Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2024)	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)			Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)			Milestones Assessment Science (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 Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hilsman Middle School	Public	6-8	870 Gaines School Rd	Athens	30605	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 548-7281	628	59	10.6	82.8%	132 (21.0%)	362 (57.6%)	82 (13.1%)	7 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.0%)	24.8	443^rd of 588 public middle schools	24.7%		31	399^th of 577 public middle schools	30.8%	44	55.4	18.0	29.2	31.8	10.7	18.9	31.8		21.5	$12,191	$1,171	$11,020
Clarke Middle School	Public	6-8	1235 Baxter St	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 543-6547	708	70	10.0	82.8%	250 (35.3%)	327 (46.2%)	75 (10.6%)	13 (1.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (5.6%)	55	243^rd of 588 public middle schools	58.7%		50.8	260^th of 577 public middle schools	54.9%	17	54.4	37.8	38.8	48.2	30.2	35.5	38.4		44.0	$10,941	$1,022	$9,920
Coile Middle School	Public	6-8	110 Old Elberton Rd	Athens	30601	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 357-5318	635	54	11.8	82.8%	39 (6.1%)	289 (45.5%)	293 (46.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (1.9%)	12.5	541^st of 588 public middle schools	8.0%		11.4	542^nd of 577 public middle schools	6.1%	1	73.7	16.0	16.1	20.2	11.2	14.6	10.9		10.4	$10,687	$1,187	$9,499
Oconee County Middle School	Public	6-8	1101 Mars Hill Rd	Watkinsville	30677	Oconee County	Oconee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 769-3575	926	60	15.4	12.0%	727 (78.5%)	43 (4.6%)	75 (8.1%)	41 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (4.2%)	95.5	31^st of 588 public middle schools	94.7%		96	26^th of 577 public middle schools	95.5%	5	100.0	69.3	69.7	69.9	63.8	76.3	72.2		68.4	$7,923	$298	$7,625
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School	Public	6-8	1600 Tallassee Rd	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 548-7208	728	57	12.7	82.8%	113 (15.5%)	304 (41.8%)	270 (37.1%)	17 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.3%)	39.3	345^th of 588 public middle schools	41.3%		43.4	306^th of 577 public middle schools	47.0%	39	94.1	27.0	30.7	36.9	26.2	33.2	34.7		31.2	$10,345	$1,086	$9,259
Malcom Bridge Middle School	Public	6-8	2500 Malcom Bridge Rd	Bogart	30622	Oconee County	Oconee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 310-1992	1,074	65	16.5	11.0%	818 (76.2%)	40 (3.7%)	91 (8.5%)	84 (7.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (3.7%)	98.3	11^th of 588 public middle schools	98.1%		97.1	17^th of 577 public middle schools	97.1%	6	100.0	73.4	75.5	79.6	71.0	76.8	85.3		85.7	$7,712	$139	$7,573
Oglethorpe County Middle School	Public	6-8	270 Buddy Faust Rd	Crawford	30630	Oglethorpe County	Oglethorpe County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 743-8146	517	40	12.8	58.8%	325 (62.9%)	94 (18.2%)	60 (11.6%)	9 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.2%)	59	215^th of 588 public middle schools	63.4%		63.4	184^th of 577 public middle schools	68.1%	31	94.7	40.4	33.7	52.5	35.7	38.1	62.7	31.1	26.4	$10,420	$293	$10,128
Bear Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	228 Jefferson St	Statham	30666	Barrow County	Barrow County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 867-2116	673	51	13.1	52.0%	332 (49.3%)	94 (14.0%)	176 (26.2%)	26 (3.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (6.4%)	43	319^th of 588 public middle schools	45.7%		44.2	300^th of 577 public middle schools	48.0%	19	77.5	33.6	35.0	38.2	18.5	34.5	40.1	24.4	31.5	$9,204	$528	$8,676
Madison County Middle School	Public	6-8	3215 Highway 172	Comer	30629	Madison County	Madison County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 783-2400	1,174	74	15.7	58.1%	790 (67.3%)	132 (11.2%)	143 (12.2%)	34 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (6.4%)	50.3	272^nd of 588 public middle schools	53.7%		57.3	219^th of 577 public middle schools	62.0%	53	97.6	33.8	32.4	38.3	36.6	38.2	48.1	16.8	37.3	$9,274	$438	$8,836
Dove Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	7915 Hog Mountain Rd	Statham	30666	Barrow County	Oconee County	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(706) 310-2017	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	96.9	19^th of 588 public middle schools	96.8%					(n/a)	100.0	67.9	71.2	72.5	80.2	71.8	77.1		79.1

Frequently Asked Questions about Hilsman Middle School

Is Hilsman Middle School a good school?

Hilsman Middle School ranks in the bottom 24.7% of Georgia middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Hilsman Middle School attend?

Students who attend Hilsman Middle School usually go on to attend Cedar Shoals High School

How many students attend Hilsman Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 628 students attended Hilsman Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Hilsman Middle School?

Students at Hilsman Middle School are 58% African American, 21% White, 13% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Hilsman Middle School in?

Clarke County

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Georgia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.