Is McDonough High School a good school?

McDonough High School ranks in the bottom 18.1% of Georgia high schools.

How many students attend McDonough High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,411 students attended McDonough High School.

What is the racial makeup of McDonough High School?

Students at McDonough High School are 81% African American, 9% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% White.

What schools feed into McDonough High School?

McDonough High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Walnut Creek Elementary Middle : McDonough Middle School

McDonough High School

Summary:

McDonough High School is a public high school in McDonough, Georgia, serving 1,288 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Henry County School District, which is ranked 152 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

McDonough High School has consistently underperformed compared to the Henry County and Georgia state averages on standardized tests, with proficiency rates ranging from 16.1% to 22.9% across different subject areas, while the county and state averages were significantly higher. The school's four-year graduation rate has also been below 90% in recent years, ranging from 83.6% to 87.3%, lower than the state average and nearby high schools. Additionally, McDonough High has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 56.88% to 61.49%, significantly higher than the nearby Woodland High School, Dutchtown High, and Ola High School, which have rates ranging from 23.91% to 54.18%.

The relatively low spending per student at McDonough High, ranging from $2,095 to $13,270 in recent years, may be a contributing factor to the school's underperformance, as it is lower than the spending per student at the nearby high schools, which ranges from $8,173 to $9,607. These findings suggest that McDonough High School is facing significant challenges in terms of academic performance and student outcomes, particularly when compared to the nearby high schools in the Henry County School District. Addressing these challenges will likely require a multi-faceted approach that addresses both the academic and socioeconomic factors impacting the school's performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

155 Postmaster Dr
McDonough, GA 30252

(470) 615-3450

District: Henry County

SchoolDigger Rank:
375^th of 458 Georgia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $2,095

Feeder schools for McDonough High School:

Elementary:	Walnut Creek Elementary
Middle:	McDonough Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.1

Number of students: 1,411

Racial breakdown:

African American:

81.1%

Hispanic:

9.4%

Two or more races:

5.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 76.7%

See top rated Georgia high schools

Compare McDonough High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details McDonough High School ranks worse than 81.9% of high schools in Georgia. It also ranks 9^th among 11 ranked high schools in the Henry County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.03. (See more...)

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

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (81.1%), Hispanic (9.4%), two or more races (5.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 76.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Henry County School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at McDonough High School is 20.1. 8 high schools in the Henry County School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare McDonough High School employs 70.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at McDonough High School is $2,095, which is the lowest among 11 high schools in the Henry County School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks McDonough High School 375^th of 458 Georgia public high schools. (See McDonough High School in the ranking list.)

Henry County:

SchoolDigger ranks Henry County 152^nd of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for McDonough High School.

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Rank History for McDonough High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	45.47	198^th	335	40.9%
2007	36.73	259^th	358	27.7%
2008	42.15	239^th	370	35.4%
2009	38.67	265^th	372	28.8%
2010	40.73	253^rd	384	34.1%
2011	35.19	305^th	402	24.1%
2012	45.56	228^th	396	42.4%
2013	41.57	271^st	425	36.2%
2014	34.10	309^th	425	27.3%
2015	26.39	317^th	435	27.1%
2016	27.20	307^th	426	27.9%
2017	18.55	347^th	420	17.4%
2018	17.40	355^th	428	17.1%
2019	17.31	369^th	438	15.8%
2021	25.54	302^nd	410	26.3%
2022	14.76	368^th	429	14.2%
2023	15.74	376^th	442	14.9%
2024	18.03	375^th	458	18.1%

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)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Saturday, January 27, 2018

This school is an awesome school. Many people say that it is a horrible school that you should not take your child to but this school really does care for your child's well being and education. The teachers refuse to allow your child to fall behind and they make sure that your child understands everything that was taught. People hold low expectation for this school but it may surprise you once you enter it. Close Quote

by a student
Thursday, November 8, 2012

When you say Henry County High most people flinch at the sound. This school isn't really that bad, its the only school in the county to have colleges on campus. Just because some of the many students don't care about their education doesn't mean you should label the entire school as a whole. I'm not going to lie some of this school's students could have more responsibility about their education but there are many students who just ignore them and achieve high goals here. This school has the potential to be one of if not the best schools/schools in the county. All it takes is for teachers to write up ceartin students and get them out of here and into an alternative school which they belong. Close Quote

Enrollment information for McDonough 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	1190	1190
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1194	1194
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1209	1209
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1104	1104
1994	841	270	11	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	1127
1995	968	256	7	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	1241
1996	968	256	7	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	1241
1997	1065	280	8	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	1365
1998	1177	313	10	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1513
1999	1294	347	10	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1664
2000	1451	361	18	26	1	n/a	n/a	0	1857
2001	1413	374	16	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	1824
2002	1534	484	28	65	1	n/a	n/a	0	2112
2003	1534	484	28	65	1	n/a	n/a	0	2112
2004	873	465	24	55	2	n/a	n/a	0	1419
2005	797	552	23	58	1	n/a	n/a	16	1447
2006	824	672	26	62	3	n/a	n/a	22	1609
2007	302	674	17	37	0	n/a	n/a	16	1046
2008	166	695	15	47	1	n/a	n/a	16	940
2009	143	755	17	56	2	n/a	n/a	25	998
2010	150	811	11	59	1	0	21	0	1053
2011	115	888	13	71	1	1	32	0	1121
2012	97	829	17	58	1	0	36	0	1038
2013	74	873	19	61	0	0	44	0	1071
2014	62	832	24	59	0	0	37	0	1014
2015	68	839	22	69	1	0	32	0	1031
2016	83	852	18	78	0	0	29	0	1060
2017	82	844	17	80	0	0	32	0	1055
2018	82	821	14	95	0	0	33	0	1045
2019	75	856	14	93	0	2	30	0	1070
2020	73	903	14	88	0	2	38	0	1118
2021	65	913	14	90	1	3	41	0	1127
2022	54	1004	14	115	1	3	43	0	1234
2023	40	1045	16	126	1	2	58	0	1288
2024	45	1144	13	133	1	2	73	0	1411

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 McDonough High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1190	66.0	18.0	10.3
1991	1194	71.0	16.8	9.4
1992	1209	80.0	15.1	11.2
1993	1104	63.0	17.5	13.7
1994	1127	64.1	17.6	17.8
1995	1241	66.0	18.8	16
1996	1241	66.0	18.8	16
1997	1365	53.0	25.8	17.8
1998	1513	77.7	19.5	17.9
1999	1664	90.1	18.5	17.4
2000	1857	99.0	18.8	13.3
2001	1824	100.2	18.2	15.6
2002	2112	94.3	22.4	15.8
2003	2112	94.3	22.4	15.8
2004	1419	82.0	17.3	19.5
2005	1447	84.1	17.2	27.5
2006	1609	88.4	18.2	35.2
2007	1046	67.9	15.4	47.1
2008	940	61.5	15.3	55.1
2009	998	62.5	16.0	58.7
2010	1053	67.6	15.5	59.8
2011	1121	73.5	15.2	63.9
2012	1038	68.6	15.1	67.9
2013	1071	77.1	13.8	72.5
2014	1014	86.3	11.7	74.4
2015	1031	116.0	8.8	75.5
2016	1060	129.0	8.2	72.2
2017	1055	145.1	7.2	66.5
2018	1045	152.9	6.8	69.2
2019	1070	152.9	6.9	64.1
2020	1118	66.7	16.7	63.2
2021	1127	66.5	16.9	56.9
2022	1234	65.3	18.8	n/a
2023	1288	65.4	19.6	61.5
2024	1411	70.1	20.1	76.7

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 McDonough High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1190	66.0	18.0	10.3
1991	1194	71.0	16.8	9.4
1992	1209	80.0	15.1	11.2
1993	1104	63.0	17.5	13.7
1994	1127	64.1	17.6	17.8
1995	1241	66.0	18.8	16
1996	1241	66.0	18.8	16
1997	1365	53.0	25.8	17.8
1998	1513	77.7	19.5	17.9
1999	1664	90.1	18.5	17.4
2000	1857	99.0	18.8	13.3
2001	1824	100.2	18.2	15.6
2002	2112	94.3	22.4	15.8
2003	2112	94.3	22.4	15.8
2004	1419	82.0	17.3	19.5
2005	1447	84.1	17.2	27.5
2006	1609	88.4	18.2	35.2
2007	1046	67.9	15.4	47.1
2008	940	61.5	15.3	55.1
2009	998	62.5	16.0	58.7
2010	1053	67.6	15.5	59.8
2011	1121	73.5	15.2	63.9
2012	1038	68.6	15.1	67.9
2013	1071	77.1	13.8	72.5
2014	1014	86.3	11.7	74.4
2015	1031	116.0	8.8	75.5
2016	1060	129.0	8.2	72.2
2017	1055	145.1	7.2	66.5
2018	1045	152.9	6.8	69.2
2019	1070	152.9	6.9	64.1
2020	1118	66.7	16.7	63.2
2021	1127	66.5	16.9	56.9
2022	1234	65.3	18.8	n/a
2023	1288	65.4	19.6	61.5
2024	1411	70.1	20.1	76.7

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 McDonough High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$748 (5.9%)	$11,868 (94.1%)	$12,616
2018	$486 (3.7%)	$12,784 (96.3%)	$13,270
2019	$272 (13.0%)	$1,823 (87.0%)	$2,095

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on McDonough 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 369^th of 438 High schools	Ranks 376^th of 442 High schools	0.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course American Literature and Composition (McDonough High School)	29.3	22.1	7.2%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Henry County)	45.5	33.1	12.4%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Georgia)	47.3	38.9	8.4%
End of Course Algebra I (McDonough High School)	11.9	8.2	3.7%
End of Course Algebra I (Henry County)	28.1	25.3	2.8%
End of Course Algebra I (Georgia)	41.1	35.8	5.3%
End of Course Biology (McDonough High School)	18.6	14.7	3.9%
End of Course Biology (Henry County)	44.8	33.3	11.5%
End of Course Biology (Georgia)	49	45.5	3.5%
End of Course United States History (McDonough High School)	21.9	14.9	7%
End of Course United States History (Henry County)	40.8	26.2	14.6%
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	1070	1288	20.4%
African American	856	1045	22.1%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	14	16	14.3%
Hispanic	93	126	35.5%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	75	40	46.7%
Two or More Races	30	58	93.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	64.1%	61.5%	2.6%

Schools Near McDonough 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
McDonough High School	Public	9-12	155 Postmaster Dr	McDonough	30252	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(470) 615-3450	1,411	70	20.1	76.7%	45 (3.2%)	1,144 (81.1%)	133 (9.4%)	13 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	73 (5.2%)	18	375^th of 458 public high schools	18.1%		15.7	376^th of 442 public high schools	14.9%	1	20.7	21.6	22.9	16.1									$2,095	$272	$1,823
EXCEL Academy	Public	6-12	330 Tomlinson St	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 957-4101	223	18	12.3	75.3%	14 (6.3%)	176 (78.9%)	22 (9.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.5%)	4.9	450^th of 458 public high schools	1.7%					(n/a)	3.8	0.0	3.2	5.1	13.5	6.1	7.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	5.0	7.5	$127,192	$1,846	$125,346
Union Grove High	Public	9-12	120 E Lake Rd	McDonough	30252	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(678) 583-8502	1,643	85	19.2	39.1%	401 (24.4%)	864 (52.6%)	165 (10.0%)	115 (7.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	95 (5.8%)	65.7	102^nd of 458 public high schools	77.7%		65.9	95^th of 442 public high schools	78.5%	7	56.1	48.6	51.4	39.9									$8,719	$272	$8,446
Ola High School	Public	9-12	357 N Ola Rd	McDonough	30252	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 288-3222	1,652	91	18.1	42.1%	786 (47.6%)	594 (36.0%)	153 (9.3%)	22 (1.3%)	7 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	88 (5.3%)	67.9	93^rd of 458 public high schools	79.7%		59.5	121^st of 442 public high schools	72.6%	28	47.8	54.5	52.5	51.8									$8,173	$272	$7,901
Eagle's Landing High School	Public	9-12	301 Tunis Rd	McDonough	30253	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 954-9515	1,657	74	22.4	65.5%	75 (4.5%)	1,239 (74.8%)	194 (11.7%)	59 (3.6%)	5 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	82 (4.9%)	16	389^th of 458 public high schools	15.1%		28.6	291^st of 442 public high schools	34.2%	98	26.7	6.1	15.7	16.1									$8,598	$272	$8,326
Luella High School	Public	9-12	603 Walker Dr	Locust Grove	30248	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 898-9822	1,353	70	19.4	62.5%	82 (6.1%)	1,049 (77.5%)	136 (10.1%)	19 (1.4%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	62 (4.6%)	27.6	314^th of 458 public high schools	31.4%		25.1	319^th of 442 public high schools	27.8%	5	34.9	18.1	25.8	21.5									$9,607	$273	$9,334
Dutchtown High	Public	9-12	149 Mitchell Rd	Hampton	30228	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 515-7510	1,833	101	18.0	56.9%	48 (2.6%)	1,419 (77.4%)	156 (8.5%)	124 (6.8%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	80 (4.4%)	50.3	185^th of 458 public high schools	59.6%		40.4	232^nd of 442 public high schools	47.5%	47	36.8	51.6	38.0	40.8									$8,425	$272	$8,152
Locust Grove High	Public	9-12	3275 S Ola Rd	Locust Grove	30248	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 898-1452	1,632	87	18.8	61.5%	545 (33.4%)	829 (50.8%)	164 (10.0%)	9 (0.6%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	80 (4.9%)	28.1	311^th of 458 public high schools	32.1%		28.4	292^nd of 442 public high schools	33.9%	19	30.4	17.2	31.3	22.3									$8,713	$272	$8,441
Hampton High School	Public	9-12	795 Hampton Locust Grove Rd	Hampton	30228	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 707-2130	1,286	60	21.2	67.5%	225 (17.5%)	810 (63.0%)	177 (13.8%)	17 (1.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (4.3%)	30.4	293^rd of 458 public high schools	36.0%		32.1	276^th of 442 public high schools	37.6%	17	34.1	16.9	26.9	29.1									$8,187	$272	$7,915
Woodland High School	Public	9-12	800 Moseley Dr	Stockbridge	30281	Henry County	Henry County	No	No	No	No	(770) 389-2784	1,322	67	19.8	59.7%	162 (12.3%)	863 (65.3%)	192 (14.5%)	29 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	74 (5.6%)	38.7	248^th of 458 public high schools	45.9%		42.8	215^th of 442 public high schools	51.4%	33	43.1	29.0	29.7	31.3									$8,586	$272	$8,313

McDonough High School

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Rank History for McDonough High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for McDonough High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at McDonough High School

Student/Teacher Ratio McDonough High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for McDonough High School

Impact of COVID-19 on McDonough High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near McDonough High School