Kell High School

Q: Is Kell High School a good school?

Kell High School ranks 59 th of 458 Georgia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Kell High School is a public high school located in Marietta, Georgia, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,506 students. It is part of the Cobb County School District, which is ranked 52 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. Kell High School has consistently maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past decade, ranking between the 54th and 107th percentile among Georgia high schools.

Kell High School stands out for its strong academic performance, with students consistently outperforming the state and county averages on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Course assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, Kell's proficiency rates were 60.1% in American Literature, 48.9% in Algebra I, 61.6% in Biology, and 67.1% in US History, all of which were significantly higher than the state averages. Additionally, Kell High School maintains a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 83.8% to 92.4% over the past five years, which is higher than the state average and on par with the Cobb County district average.

Compared to its neighboring schools, Kell High School performs well, consistently ranking higher than Wheeler High School and Sprayberry High School on state assessments and graduation rates, though it lags behind the top-performing schools like Walton High School, Pope High School, and Lassiter High School. Kell High School's relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the surrounding schools, may contribute to its higher academic performance, as socioeconomic status is often correlated with educational outcomes.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4770 Lee Waters Rd
Marietta, GA 30066

(678) 494-7844

District: Cobb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
59^th of 458 Georgia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,383

Feeder schools for Kell High School:

Elementary:	Keheley Elementary School
Middle:	McCleskey Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.4

Number of students: 1,582

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.6%

African American:

24.7%

Hispanic:

22.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 43.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Kell High School ranks better than 87.1% of high schools in Georgia. It also ranks 8^th among 17 ranked high schools in the Cobb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.43. (See more...)

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

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Kell High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (44.6%), African American (24.7%), Hispanic (22.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 43.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kell High School is 17.4, which is the 8^th best among 17 high schools in the Cobb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Kell High School employs 90.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kell High School is $8,383. 8 high schools in the Cobb County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Kell High School 59^th of 458 Georgia public high schools. (See Kell High School in the ranking list.)

Cobb County:

SchoolDigger ranks Cobb County 52^nd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Kell High School.

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Rank History for Kell High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	79.69	38^th	335	88.7%
2007	79.27	43^rd	358	88.0%
2008	75.58	64^th	370	82.7%
2009	81.69	37^th	372	90.1%
2010	76.93	64^th	384	83.3%
2011	74.77	67^th	402	83.3%
2012	74.10	75^th	396	81.1%
2013	73.74	67^th	425	84.2%
2014	70.93	72^nd	425	83.1%
2015	69.57	67^th	435	84.6%
2016	69.24	64^th	426	85.0%
2017	63.71	83^rd	420	80.2%
2018	68.09	83^rd	428	80.6%
2019	70.92	69^th	438	84.2%
2021	61.46	104^th	410	74.6%
2022	62.75	107^th	429	75.1%
2023	76.31	54^th	442	87.8%
2024	76.43	59^th	458	87.1%

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: 4.2)

67%

17%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, March 29, 2021

Amazing school. The diverse student body assists in teaching the students real world interaction and global respect. The teachers encourage the student to have a complete education. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, April 30, 2020

I could not be happier having my son at Kell and look forward to my daughter attending in a year. We are so fortunate to have this gem of a school in Cobb County. The administration, teachers, extra curricular opportunities and overall community are fantastic. The communication is excellent. They follow through on what they say they are going to do. Kell provides our students the tools and experiences they need to be successful and achieve college readiness in a very safe and nurturing environment. I have been particularly impressed with the (marching) band program. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, September 20, 2019

Great change to the school this year! Dr. Giles has brought back school spirit, community, and pride to the school. Teachers and students feel valued again! The new LASSO structure is awesome and has helped so many students academically already and is an incentive for all students. Proud to live here and have my students go there. Don't believe any previous bad comments about the school. It has all changed now! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Kell High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	836	141	40	77	3	n/a	n/a	0	1097
2003	836	141	40	77	3	n/a	n/a	0	1097
2004	1193	232	56	114	5	n/a	n/a	0	1600
2005	1354	280	69	119	8	n/a	n/a	58	1888
2006	1377	328	67	118	7	n/a	n/a	71	1968
2007	1383	314	69	136	6	n/a	n/a	68	1976
2008	1338	316	66	144	5	n/a	n/a	71	1940
2009	1216	309	66	145	5	n/a	n/a	66	1807
2010	1208	326	61	143	68	0	0	0	1806
2011	1110	329	56	155	46	0	13	0	1709
2012	1057	352	53	165	28	0	26	0	1681
2013	966	337	41	163	13	0	48	0	1568
2014	912	336	37	197	2	0	54	0	1538
2015	876	366	28	213	1	0	64	0	1548
2016	826	348	24	227	1	0	57	0	1483
2017	835	373	24	258	3	3	63	0	1559
2018	818	347	25	246	3	5	73	0	1517
2019	829	309	39	257	4	4	84	0	1526
2020	783	320	43	262	3	6	85	0	1502
2021	743	329	43	285	3	2	77	0	1482
2022	727	337	48	301	2	1	80	0	1496
2023	700	363	38	325	0	0	80	0	1506
2024	706	390	46	351	2	1	86	0	1582

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 Kell High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	1097	82.8	13.2	6.9
2003	1097	82.8	13.2	6.9
2004	1600	109.6	14.6	11
2005	1888	108.8	17.4	13.4
2006	1968	112.6	17.5	17.1
2007	1976	114.2	17.3	16.8
2008	1940	119.1	16.3	18
2009	1807	119.3	15.1	21.7
2010	1806	108.5	16.6	25
2011	1709	95.0	17.9	29.7
2012	1681	97.2	17.2	31.4
2013	1568	92.2	17.0	32.6
2014	1538	82.7	18.5	31.3
2015	1548	83.0	18.6	31.9
2016	1483	83.0	17.8	32.5
2017	1559	82.3	18.9	35
2018	1517	85.1	17.8	32.4
2019	1526	84.7	18.0	31.6
2020	1502	82.3	18.2	30.6
2021	1482	84.5	17.5	28.3
2022	1496	85.0	17.6	n/a
2023	1506	93.1	16.1	31.8
2024	1582	90.5	17.4	43.7

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 Kell High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	1097	82.8	13.2	6.9
2003	1097	82.8	13.2	6.9
2004	1600	109.6	14.6	11
2005	1888	108.8	17.4	13.4
2006	1968	112.6	17.5	17.1
2007	1976	114.2	17.3	16.8
2008	1940	119.1	16.3	18
2009	1807	119.3	15.1	21.7
2010	1806	108.5	16.6	25
2011	1709	95.0	17.9	29.7
2012	1681	97.2	17.2	31.4
2013	1568	92.2	17.0	32.6
2014	1538	82.7	18.5	31.3
2015	1548	83.0	18.6	31.9
2016	1483	83.0	17.8	32.5
2017	1559	82.3	18.9	35
2018	1517	85.1	17.8	32.4
2019	1526	84.7	18.0	31.6
2020	1502	82.3	18.2	30.6
2021	1482	84.5	17.5	28.3
2022	1496	85.0	17.6	n/a
2023	1506	93.1	16.1	31.8
2024	1582	90.5	17.4	43.7

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 Kell High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$224 (2.9%)	$7,614 (97.1%)	$7,838
2018	$365 (4.3%)	$8,151 (95.7%)	$8,516
2019	$346 (4.1%)	$8,037 (95.9%)	$8,383

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kell 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 69^th of 438 High schools	Ranks 54^th of 442 High schools	3.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Kell High School)	61.8	55.1	6.7%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Cobb County)	63.4	50.6	12.8%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Georgia)	47.3	38.9	8.4%
End of Course Algebra I (Kell High School)	33.2	38.1	4.9%
End of Course Algebra I (Cobb County)	54.2	46.6	7.6%
End of Course Algebra I (Georgia)	41.1	35.8	5.3%
End of Course Biology (Kell High School)	64.7	71.9	7.2%
End of Course Biology (Cobb County)	66.9	59.7	7.2%
End of Course Biology (Georgia)	49	45.5	3.5%
End of Course United States History (Kell High School)	71.2	57	14.2%
End of Course United States History (Cobb County)	71.1	54.5	16.6%
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	1526	1506	1.3%
African American	309	363	17.5%
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	39	38	2.6%
Hispanic	257	325	26.5%
Pacific Islander	4	0	100%
White	829	700	15.6%
Two or More Races	84	80	4.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	31.6%	31.8%	0.2%

Schools Near Kell 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)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Kell High School	Public	9-12	4770 Lee Waters Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 494-7844	1,582	91	17.4	43.7%	706 (44.6%)	390 (24.7%)	351 (22.2%)	46 (2.9%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	86 (5.4%)	76.4	59^th of 458 public high schools	87.1%		76.3	54^th of 442 public high schools	87.8%	5	60.1	48.9	61.6	67.1	$8,383	$346	$8,037
Lassiter High School	Public	9-12	2601 Shallowford Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(678) 494-7863	1,949	111	17.6	14.2%	1,310 (67.2%)	146 (7.5%)	226 (11.6%)	147 (7.5%)	5 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	114 (5.8%)	94.8	6^th of 458 public high schools	98.7%		91.2	17^th of 442 public high schools	96.2%	11	81.0	81.8	84.7	82.0	$8,618	$305	$8,312
Woodstock High School	Public	9-12	2010 Towne Lake Hills South Dr	Woodstock	30189	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	No	(770) 721-3000	2,002	127	15.7	31.8%	1,127 (56.3%)	246 (12.3%)	442 (22.1%)	47 (2.3%)	3 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	135 (6.7%)	72.2	82^nd of 458 public high schools	82.1%		74.8	59^th of 442 public high schools	86.7%	23	55.8	51.2	55.0	54.1	$8,221	$306	$7,915
Sprayberry High School	Public	9-12	2525 Sandy Plains Rd	Marietta	30066	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 578-3200	1,799	108	16.6	49.9%	570 (31.7%)	524 (29.1%)	475 (26.4%)	114 (6.3%)	7 (0.4%)	3 (0.2%)	106 (5.9%)	71	84^th of 458 public high schools	81.7%		73.7	64^th of 442 public high schools	85.5%	20	52.0	42.9	57.1	58.1	$8,115	$258	$7,856
River Ridge High School	Public	9-12	400 Arnold Mill Rd	Woodstock	30188	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	No	(770) 721-6500	1,956	114	17.1	28.5%	1,233 (63.0%)	124 (6.3%)	437 (22.3%)	69 (3.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (4.7%)	83.8	38^th of 458 public high schools	91.7%		79.9	43^rd of 442 public high schools	90.3%	5	65.0	63.0	64.7	63.6	$8,247	$310	$7,937
Pope High School	Public	9-12	3001 Hembree Rd NE	Marietta	30062	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 578-7900	1,758	101	17.4	10.9%	1,263 (71.8%)	107 (6.1%)	168 (9.6%)	136 (7.7%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (4.7%)	93.6	11^th of 458 public high schools	97.6%		93.3	10^th of 442 public high schools	97.7%	1	80.1	73.5	82.8	80.2	$8,624	$362	$8,262
Etowah High School	Public	9-12	6565 Putnam Ford Dr	Woodstock	30189	Cherokee County	Cherokee County	No	No	No	No	(770) 721-3120	2,449	152	16.1	36.0%	1,346 (55.0%)	293 (12.0%)	615 (25.1%)	65 (2.7%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	127 (5.2%)	72.6	81^st of 458 public high schools	82.3%		77.1	49^th of 442 public high schools	88.9%	32	58.2	39.8	60.6	57.7	$8,039	$249	$7,791
Walton High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1590 Bill Murdock Rd	Marietta	30062	Cobb County	Cobb County	Yes	No	No	No	(770) 578-3225	2,685	139	19.3	7.8%	1,615 (60.1%)	157 (5.8%)	201 (7.5%)	607 (22.6%)	4 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	99 (3.7%)	94.5	7^th of 458 public high schools	98.5%		94.6	5^th of 442 public high schools	98.9%	2	89.9	73.9	86.7	87.9	$7,955	$243	$7,713
Wheeler High School	Public	9-12	375 Holt Rd NE	Marietta	30068	Cobb County	Cobb County	No	No	No	No	(770) 578-3266	2,380	142	16.7	49.2%	576 (24.2%)	818 (34.4%)	569 (23.9%)	313 (13.2%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	101 (4.2%)	73.9	76^th of 458 public high schools	83.4%		71.3	71^st of 442 public high schools	83.9%	5	57.8	45.8	61.1	53.0	$8,136	$219	$7,917
Roswell High School	Public	9-12	11595 King Rd	Roswell	30075	Fulton County	Fulton County	No	No	No	No	(470) 254-4500	2,036	123	16.5	29.4%	1,103 (54.2%)	257 (12.6%)	536 (26.3%)	62 (3.0%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	75 (3.7%)	73.2	78^th of 458 public high schools	83.0%		73.5	65^th of 442 public high schools	85.3%	13	60.9	52.4	59.3	44.8	$10,016	$262	$9,753

Frequently Asked Questions about Kell High School

What schools feed into Kell High School?

Kell High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Keheley Elementary School
Middle : McCleskey Middle School

How many students attend Kell High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,582 students attended Kell High School.

Is Kell High School a good school?

Kell High School ranks 59^th of 458 Georgia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Kell High School?

Students at Kell High School are 45% White, 25% African American, 22% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

What district is Kell High School in?

Cobb 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.