High Schools in Marietta City

Marietta High School is the sole high school in the Marietta City district, serving grades 9–12 with an enrollment of 2,526 students in a suburban setting northwest of Atlanta.

This is a school on a clear upward trajectory. Its state ranking has improved dramatically over the past two years, jumping from 181st to 131st out of roughly 455 high schools, and it now holds a 4-star rating. Academic gains are consistent across every subject with comparable data: Algebra I proficiency rose from 43.0% to 51.3%, Biology from 45.8% to 55.6%, and U.S. History from 31.0% to 38.6%. The school now outperforms the state average in Algebra I and Biology, while matching it in U.S. History. Notably, the school trails its own district in Algebra I by nearly 9 percentage points (51.3% vs. 60.2%), though it matches the district almost exactly in Biology and U.S. History, suggesting the gap is subject-specific rather than systemic.

The school also posts strong graduation outcomes: a 92.2% graduation rate (5 points above the state) and a 1.8% dropout rate (below the state's 2.4%). This is especially impressive given that 56.7% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. However, the most pressing concern is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 33.4% — nearly double the state rate of 17.7% and well above the district's 19.8%. With roughly one in three students chronically absent, this likely limits even greater academic gains. The school invests $16,079 per student and maintains a 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio, providing solid resources. If absenteeism can be addressed, Marietta High School's combination of rising test scores, strong graduation rates, and improving state ranking positions it for continued success.