schoolsbycounty

Clayton County Schools & Education

School Score

13/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

73.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

73.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,431

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,405

School Score

13/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 50/100

State Score Position

#154

of 159 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Clayton County

Measured School Summary

Clayton County faces educational challenges with a school score of 13/100 and a graduation rate of 73.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,431 per pupil, Clayton County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 73% below the Georgia average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 15.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Clayton County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

71 public schools and 4 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

13/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #154 of 159 Georgia counties with school score data.

Completion

73.0%

15.1 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,431

$974 below the state average

School coverage

71

4 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Clayton County has 71 public schools across 4 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Clayton County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Clayton County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 67 of 71 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#154

of 159 Georgia counties with school score data. The county score is 37 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Clayton County

Elementary to high school visible

52,186 students

Elementary 39Middle 15High 12Other 1

67 listed schools in this county slice.

State Charter Schools- Georgia Cyber Academy

Other grade structure

8,876 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

State Charter Schools- Dubois Integrity Academy

Elementary school only in this slice

1,320 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

State Charter Schools- Utopian Academy for the Arts Charter

Middle school only in this slice

390 students

Elementary 0Middle 1High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Clayton County is the largest listed district slice, with 67 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Clayton County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Clayton County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Clayton County, Georgia

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Massive Metro Atlanta Infrastructure

Clayton County is an educational powerhouse with 71 public schools serving 62,793 students. The system includes 40 elementary, 16 middle, and 12 high schools, plus several specialized centers. This scale makes it one of the largest school systems in the state of Georgia.

Digital Innovators and Local Districts

The Clayton County district serves 52,186 students across 67 schools, but the area is also home to the Georgia Cyber Academy. This single charter school serves a massive 8,876 students, representing a major share of the county's educational landscape. In total, 6 charter schools operate here, providing diverse options for local families.

Suburban Life and Large Campus Cultures

Education here is almost entirely suburban, with 69 schools located in suburb settings and an average size of 884 students. Lovejoy High School is the largest traditional campus with 2,136 students, though the virtual Georgia Cyber Academy is the largest overall. Families should expect a busy, active suburban school environment.

School Overview

Total Schools

71

in Clayton County

Reported Enrollment

62,793

71 schools reporting

School Districts

4

districts

Charter Schools

6

8% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary40
Middle16
High12
Other3

4 School Districts in Clayton County

Clayton County

Guide
67 schools
52,186 students
Open district guide

State Charter Schools- Georgia Cyber Academy

Guide
1 school
8,876 students
Open district guide

State Charter Schools- Dubois Integrity Academy

1 school
1,320 students

State Charter Schools- Utopian Academy for the Arts Charter

1 school
390 students

71 Public Schools in Clayton County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 15 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 71 matching schools

Georgia Cyber Academy

State Charter Schools- Georgia Cyber Academy

Atlanta, 30349 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–12CharterVirtual8,876 students

Lovejoy High School

Clayton County

Hampton, 30228 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,136 students

Morrow High School

Clayton County

Morrow, 30260 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,980 students

Forest Park High School

Clayton County

Forest Park, 30297 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,765 students

Charles R. Drew High School

Clayton County

Riverdale, 30274 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,652 students

Mundy's Mill High School

Clayton County

Jonesboro, 30238 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,629 students

Jonesboro High School

Clayton County

Jonesboro, 30236 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,535 students

Eddie White Middle School

Clayton County

Hampton, 30228 / Rural: Fringe

Profile6–8Middle1,438 students

Riverdale High School

Clayton County

Riverdale, 30274 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,333 students

Dubois Integrity Academy

State Charter Schools- Dubois Integrity Academy

Riverdale, 30274 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–7Charter1,320 students

Mount Zion High School

Clayton County

Jonesboro, 30236 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,239 students

North Clayton High School

Clayton County

College Park, 30349 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,206 students

Michelle Obama STEM Elementary Academy

Clayton County

Hampton, 30228 / Rural: Fringe

ProfilePK–5Primary1,019 students

Rex Mill Middle School

Clayton County

Rex, 30273 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle974 students

Jonesboro Middle School

Clayton County

Jonesboro, 30236 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle951 students

Perry Career Academy - Eula Wilburn Ponds Perry Center for

Clayton County

Jonesboro, 30236 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High925 students

Babb Middle School

Clayton County

Forest Park, 30297 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle888 students

M. D. Roberts Middle School

Clayton County

Jonesboro, 30236 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle852 students

Sequoyah Middle School

Clayton County

Riverdale, 30274 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle842 students

Hawthorne Elementary School

Clayton County

Hampton, 30228 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary821 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,431

State avg $7,405

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Clayton County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Georgia counties have the highest graduation rates?
Oconee County (98.0%), Bleckley County (97.0%), and Haralson County (97.0%) currently lead Georgia among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Georgia?
Across Georgia counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,405. The highest current county values are Towns County ($10,107), Burke County ($9,829), and Quitman County ($9,756). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Clayton County?
Clayton County has a school score of 13/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Clayton County?
The high school graduation rate in Clayton County is 73.0%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Clayton County spend per student?
Clayton County spends $6,431 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Clayton County, Georgia — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Clayton County, Georgia?

Clayton County is an educational powerhouse with 71 public schools serving 62,793 students. The system includes 40 elementary, 16 middle, and 12 high schools, plus several specialized centers. This scale makes it one of the largest school systems in the state of Georgia.

What are the major school districts in Clayton County, Georgia?

The Clayton County district serves 52,186 students across 67 schools, but the area is also home to the Georgia Cyber Academy. This single charter school serves a massive 8,876 students, representing a major share of the county's educational landscape. In total, 6 charter schools operate here, providing diverse options for local families.

What is the school experience like in Clayton County?

Education here is almost entirely suburban, with 69 schools located in suburb settings and an average size of 884 students. Lovejoy High School is the largest traditional campus with 2,136 students, though the virtual Georgia Cyber Academy is the largest overall. Families should expect a busy, active suburban school environment.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.