McNair High School

Summary:

McNair High School is a public high school in Atlanta, Georgia, serving 768 students in grades 9-12. It is part of the DeKalb County School District, which is ranked 138 out of 203 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. McNair High School has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Georgia high schools over the past decade, with a current ranking of 405 out of 458 schools.

McNair High School faces significant challenges, including low graduation rates, poor academic performance, and high levels of economic disadvantage among its student population. The school's 4-year graduation rate is only 56.2%, well below the nearby Columbia High School (77.1%) and Cedar Grove High School (81.2%), as well as the state average of 83.7%. Additionally, McNair High School's performance on the Georgia Milestones assessments is consistently well below the state and county averages across all subject areas, with only 17.6% of students proficient or better in American Literature and Composition, compared to 42% statewide and 33.7% in the DeKalb County district.

Despite the challenges, McNair High School has seen a steady increase in per-student spending, from $11,252 in 2016-2017 to $13,999 in 2018-2019. However, this spending level is still lower than the nearby Carver High School Early College ($17,379) and Maynard Jackson High School ($13,942). The extremely high free and reduced lunch rates at McNair High School, as well as the nearby schools, indicate a strong correlation between poverty and academic underperformance, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support to address the unique challenges faced by economically disadvantaged students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1804 Bouldercrest Rd SE
Atlanta, GA 30316

(678) 874-4902

District: DeKalb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
405^th of 458 Georgia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,999

Feeder schools for McNair High School:

Elementary:	Barack H. Obama Elementary Magnet School of Technology
	Flat Shoals Elementary School
	Kelley Lake Elementary School
	Ronald E McNair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School
Middle:	McNair Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.0

Number of students: 768

Racial breakdown:

African American:

94.5%

Hispanic:

3.0%

Two or more races:

1.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details McNair High School ranks worse than 88.4% of high schools in Georgia. It also ranks 20^th among 23 ranked high schools in the DeKalb County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.08. (See more...)

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

Student Body

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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at McNair High School is $13,999, which is the 3^rd highest among 23 high schools in the DeKalb County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks McNair High School 405^th of 458 Georgia public high schools. (See McNair High School in the ranking list.)

DeKalb County:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb County 138^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for McNair High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	4.82	328^th	335	2.1%
2007	8.65	342^nd	358	4.5%
2008	8.65	355^th	370	4.1%
2009	8.70	357^th	372	4.0%
2010	13.65	354^th	384	7.8%
2011	17.49	365^th	402	9.2%
2012	24.33	332^nd	396	16.2%
2013	12.99	396^th	425	6.8%
2014	16.85	387^th	425	8.9%
2015	21.86	343^rd	435	21.1%
2016	18.98	350^th	426	17.8%
2017	14.47	365^th	420	13.1%
2018	16.12	360^th	428	15.9%
2019	14.35	379^th	438	13.5%
2021	15.70	359^th	410	12.4%
2022	10.87	391^st	429	8.9%
2023	11.64	403^rd	442	8.8%
2024	13.08	405^th	458	11.6%

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: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, June 27, 2016

This school lacks what most schools have. The teachers and students have to work harder than most of the average schools in the county. Therefore, the school have a high transition turnover rate of teachers. The parents who want the best for their children’s education will seek other schools. The school lacks great experience leaders who can make a change. This school use to be one of the best schools in the county (academic/sports, etc.) and now it is one of the worst schools that has not changed in years. If you expect a school with a grade less than a seventy (70) to provide top education, then you are expecting a top failing education for the children. I was a disappointed parent who was expecting change for the best education for my child. Close Quote

Enrollment information for McNair High 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	1055	1055
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1102	1102
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1098	1098
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1109	1109
1994	5	1091	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	1098
1995	2	1050	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1056
1996	2	1050	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1056
1997	7	1588	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1600
1998	10	1613	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1628
1999	13	1561	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1577
2000	7	1492	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1503
2001	6	1477	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1489
2002	5	1231	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1241
2003	5	1231	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1241
2004	6	1228	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	1240
2005	2	1188	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	6	1202
2006	1	1202	0	10	0	n/a	n/a	7	1220
2007	1	1293	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	5	1306
2008	2	1260	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	6	1277
2009	4	1099	0	5	1	n/a	n/a	6	1115
2010	2	1020	0	7	0	0	6	0	1035
2011	2	921	1	13	1	0	5	0	943
2012	2	811	0	11	0	0	3	0	827
2013	3	890	1	15	0	0	1	0	910
2014	3	849	2	13	0	0	2	0	869
2015	6	779	3	18	0	0	2	0	808
2016	7	761	2	16	3	0	6	0	795
2017	5	748	2	20	2	0	10	0	787
2018	3	667	1	23	2	0	9	0	705
2019	6	615	2	20	5	1	12	0	661
2020	4	579	4	18	3	2	8	0	618
2021	4	662	4	14	4	1	12	0	701
2022	4	730	4	24	4	1	9	0	776
2023	5	726	1	23	4	1	8	0	768

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 McNair High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1055	65.0	16.2	13.7
1991	1102	67.0	16.4	11.1
1992	1098	69.5	15.7	27.1
1993	1109	64.0	17.3	29.8
1994	1098	66.3	16.6	32.8
1995	1056	63.0	16.8	44.9
1996	1056	63.0	16.8	44.9
1997	1600	92.3	17.3	60.5
1998	1628	92.0	17.7	39.6
1999	1577	92.6	17.0	58.5
2000	1503	79.9	18.8	53.2
2001	1489	73.8	20.2	66.6
2002	1241	78.0	15.9	63.2
2003	1241	78.0	15.9	63.2
2004	1240	70.4	17.6	72.7
2005	1202	72.0	16.7	75.1
2006	1220	71.0	17.2	78.7
2007	1306	74.0	17.6	73.6
2008	1277	75.0	17.0	78.1
2009	1115	72.0	15.5	77.9
2010	1035	69.5	14.8	81.6
2011	943	61.0	15.4	84.2
2012	827	60.0	13.7	86.8
2013	910	49.5	18.3	85.5
2014	869	53.5	16.2	86.9
2015	808	52.0	15.5	90.6
2016	795	52.0	15.2	83.6
2017	787	54.3	14.4	100
2018	705	55.5	12.7	100
2019	661	49.0	13.4	100
2020	618	47.0	13.1	99.2
2021	701	48.5	14.4	99.1
2022	776	45.0	17.2	n/a
2023	768	45.0	17.0	100

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 McNair High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1055	65.0	16.2	13.7
1991	1102	67.0	16.4	11.1
1992	1098	69.5	15.7	27.1
1993	1109	64.0	17.3	29.8
1994	1098	66.3	16.6	32.8
1995	1056	63.0	16.8	44.9
1996	1056	63.0	16.8	44.9
1997	1600	92.3	17.3	60.5
1998	1628	92.0	17.7	39.6
1999	1577	92.6	17.0	58.5
2000	1503	79.9	18.8	53.2
2001	1489	73.8	20.2	66.6
2002	1241	78.0	15.9	63.2
2003	1241	78.0	15.9	63.2
2004	1240	70.4	17.6	72.7
2005	1202	72.0	16.7	75.1
2006	1220	71.0	17.2	78.7
2007	1306	74.0	17.6	73.6
2008	1277	75.0	17.0	78.1
2009	1115	72.0	15.5	77.9
2010	1035	69.5	14.8	81.6
2011	943	61.0	15.4	84.2
2012	827	60.0	13.7	86.8
2013	910	49.5	18.3	85.5
2014	869	53.5	16.2	86.9
2015	808	52.0	15.5	90.6
2016	795	52.0	15.2	83.6
2017	787	54.3	14.4	100
2018	705	55.5	12.7	100
2019	661	49.0	13.4	100
2020	618	47.0	13.1	99.2
2021	701	48.5	14.4	99.1
2022	776	45.0	17.2	n/a
2023	768	45.0	17.0	100

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 McNair High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$947 (8.4%)	$10,304 (91.6%)	$11,252
2018	$943 (7.6%)	$11,521 (92.4%)	$12,464
2019	$1,102 (7.9%)	$12,897 (92.1%)	$13,999

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on McNair 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 379^th of 438 High schools	Ranks 403^rd of 442 High schools	4.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course American Literature and Composition (McNair High School)	13.8	11.3	2.5%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (DeKalb County)	40.6	30.9	9.7%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Georgia)	47.3	38.9	8.4%
End of Course Coordinate Algebra (McNair High School)	2.9	4.5	1.6%
End of Course Coordinate Algebra (DeKalb County)	26.6	21.9	4.7%
End of Course Coordinate Algebra (Georgia)	33.7	26.4	7.3%
End of Course Biology (McNair High School)	23.8	16.3	7.5%
End of Course Biology (DeKalb County)	38.6	32.6	6%
End of Course Biology (Georgia)	49	45.5	3.5%
End of Course United States History (McNair High School)	39.7	6.8	32.9%
End of Course United States History (DeKalb County)	46.5	27	19.5%
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	661	768	16.2%
African American	615	726	18%
American Indian	5	4	20%
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	20	23	15%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	6	5	16.7%
Two or More Races	12	8	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near McNair 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 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 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 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
McNair High School	Public	9-12	1804 Bouldercrest Rd SE	Atlanta	30316	Fulton County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-4902	768	45	17.0	100.0%	5 (0.7%)	726 (94.5%)	23 (3.0%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (1.0%)	13.1	405^th of 458 public high schools	11.6%		11.6	403^rd of 442 public high schools	8.8%	2	17.6	4.2	23.5	10.1									$13,999	$1,102	$12,897
Metro Regional Youth Detention Center	Public	5-12	1300 Constitution Rd SE	Atlanta	30316	Fulton County	Department of Juvenile Justice	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 635-4415	23			87.0%	1 (4.3%)	22 (95.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)		0.0
Charles Drew Charter Ja/Senior Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	300 E Lake Blvd SE	Atlanta	30317	DeKalb County	Atlanta Public Schools	Yes	No	No	No	(404) 687-0001	925	80	11.6	40.0%	158 (17.1%)	694 (75.0%)	28 (3.0%)	9 (1.0%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	30 (3.2%)	63.5	115^th of 458 public high schools	74.9%		59.8	120^th of 442 public high schools	72.9%	5	51.3	63.1	47.1	38.4	60.4	57.5	61.2	51.0	58.2	63.3	15.6	42.4	$16,471	$572	$15,899
Cedar Grove High School	Public	9-12	2360 River Rd	Ellenwood	30294	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-4002	1,123	70	16.1	100.0%	7 (0.6%)	1,030 (91.7%)	58 (5.2%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (2.0%)	11.3	415^th of 458 public high schools	9.4%		16	374^th of 442 public high schools	15.4%	41	17.2	15.7	9.7	10.3									$11,139	$720	$10,419
DeKalb Regional Youth Detention Center	Public	5-12	2946 Clifton Springs Rd	Decatur	30034	DeKalb County	Department of Juvenile Justice	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 244-2183	7				0 (0.0%)	4 (57.1%)	3 (42.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
South Atlanta High School	Public	9-12	800 Hutchens Rd SE	Atlanta	30354	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-5025	928	57	16.3	100.0%	3 (0.3%)	847 (91.3%)	70 (7.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.8%)	9.6	421^st of 458 public high schools	8.1%		11	408^th of 442 public high schools	7.7%	13	10.6	16.9	8.3	11.1									$17,111	$1,182	$15,930
Maynard Jackson High School	Public	9-12	801 Glenwood Ave SE	Atlanta	30316	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-5200	1,474	107	13.8	43.6%	240 (16.3%)	1,080 (73.3%)	109 (7.4%)	6 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	35 (2.4%)	39.6	245^th of 458 public high schools	46.5%		27.8	297^th of 442 public high schools	32.8%	52	37.8	31.0	41.8	10.8									$13,942	$846	$13,096
Carver High School Early College	Public	9-12	55 McDonough Blvd SE	Atlanta	30315	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-4405	575	62	9.2	100.0%	3 (0.5%)	549 (95.5%)	18 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	40	241^st of 458 public high schools	47.4%		15.4	377^th of 442 public high schools	14.7%	136	41.4	15.7	19.6	53.1									$17,379	$1,019	$16,359
Carver High School	Public	9-12	55 McDonough Blvd SE	Atlanta	30315	Fulton County	Atlanta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(404) 802-4415	445	32	13.9	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	433 (97.3%)	8 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	6.9	439^th of 458 public high schools	4.1%		6.6	429^th of 442 public high schools	2.9%	10	6.6	5.0	11.7	5.4									$18,877	$1,193	$17,684
Columbia High School	Public	9-12	2106 Columbia Dr	Decatur	30032	DeKalb County	DeKalb County	No	No	No	Yes	(678) 874-0802	898	59	15.2	100.0%	10 (1.1%)	837 (93.2%)	35 (3.9%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	8 (0.9%)	14.7	398^th of 458 public high schools	13.1%		18.3	357^th of 442 public high schools	19.2%	41	15.3	17.3	18.5	18.1									$12,785	$1,091	$11,695

Frequently Asked Questions about McNair High School

How many students attend McNair High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 768 students attended McNair High School.

What schools feed into McNair High School?

McNair High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Barack H. Obama Elementary Magnet School of Technology
Elementary : Flat Shoals Elementary School
Elementary : Kelley Lake Elementary School
Elementary : Ronald E McNair Discover Learning Academy Elementary School
Middle : McNair Middle School

What is the racial makeup of McNair High School?

Students at McNair High School are 95% African American, 3% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

Is McNair High School a good school?

McNair High School ranks in the bottom 11.6% of Georgia high schools.

What district is McNair High School in?

DeKalb 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.