Public + private high schools, every state.
806
high schools (public + private)
521
public (199 districts)
285
private (NCES PSS)
124,992
public grade‑12 students (seniors, latest year)

GA public HS enrollment trend

Across the 526,875 students enrolled in GA brick-and-mortar public high schools in 2021, the state grew +1.8% by 2024 (536,587 students, +9,712 net). That's the demographic tide every individual school is fighting or riding.

Charter share of public HS enrollment (latest year): 1.5% (7,885 of 536,587 students). Virtual / nonclassroom-based schools excluded.

🗺️ State context · NAEP 2024

How does GA compare nationally?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test given the same way to students in every state — making it the benchmark for state-to-state academic comparison. Below, this state's 8th-grade averages and where it sits on the 50-state distribution.

8th-grade math
273
0 vs national avg (273)
8th-grade reading
263
+3 vs national avg (260)
national avg GA Math → Reading → 260 290 245 275

Each dot is one state's 2024 NAEP 8th-grade averages. GA is highlighted in gold. Dashed lines mark national averages — being upper-right of both = above national in both subjects. Source: NAEP State Snapshot Reports. NAEP doesn't produce per-school scores — this is state-level context.

Where the students are

Top 10 cities by public-HS enrollment

Atlanta 29 HS 24,353
Marietta 10 HS 17,596
Lawrenceville 10 HS 13,498
Suwanee 4 HS 11,922
Cumming 5 HS 10,890
Alpharetta 5 HS 9,791
Gainesville 10 HS 9,347
Douglasville 6 HS 9,238
Columbus 9 HS 8,814
Snellville 3 HS 8,538

School-size distribution

Public, classroom-based · grades 9–12, latest year

Fastest-growing high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Utopian Academy for the Arts High School
Clayton County
158→291 +84.2%
Global Impact Academy
Fulton County
314→572 +82.2%
Innovation Academy
Fulton County
855→1,511 +76.7%
Groves High School
Savannah-Chatham County
884→1,451 +64.1%
Skyview High School
Fulton County
215→346 +60.9%
Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy
Barrow County
611→967 +58.3%
East Forsyth High School
Forsyth County
1,069→1,588 +48.6%
Rainey McCullers School of the Arts
Muscogee County
166→236 +42.2%
Seckinger High School
Gwinnett County
1,638→2,318 +41.5%
Jackson County High School
Jackson County
1,613→2,222 +37.8%
Fastest-shrinking high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Northwest Classical Academy
State Specialty Schools II- Northwest Classical Academy
505→115 -77.2%
Elizabeth Andrews High School
DeKalb County
339→167 -50.7%
Bishop Hall
Thomas County
207→129 -37.7%
Independence High School
Fulton County
202→129 -36.1%
Mountain Education High School
State Specialty Schools I- Mountain Education High School
2,520→1,692 -32.9%
Foothills Regional High School
State Specialty Schools I- Foothills Regional High School
2,104→1,475 -29.9%
Mill Creek High School
Gwinnett County
3,812→2,782 -27.0%
Randolph Clay High School
Randolph County
263→202 -23.2%
Mountain View High School
Gwinnett County
2,850→2,221 -22.1%
Coastal Plains High School
State Specialty Schools I- Coastal Plains High School
1,465→1,161 -20.8%

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