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Hilsman Middle School

Public Grades 6-8

451^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 584 Georgia Middle Schools

Better than 23% of Georgia middle schools

Summary

Hilsman Middle School is a public middle school located in Athens, Georgia, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 606 students. The school is part of the Clarke County School District, which is ranked 150 out of 206 districts in Georgia and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Hilsman Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Georgia middle schools over the past 10 years, with a ranking between 324 and 451 out of 500-600 schools.

Hilsman Middle School consistently underperforms compared to the Clarke County and Georgia state averages on the Milestones Assessments. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 25.1% of 6th graders, 18.6% of 7th graders, and 28.8% of 8th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 41.3%, 40.7%, and 39.8% at the state level, respectively. The school also struggles in mathematics, with only 9.7% of 6th graders, 17.9% of 7th graders, and 28.8% of 8th graders proficient or better, compared to 37.3%, 40.1%, and 47% at the state level. Additionally, Hilsman Middle School has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 82.8% to 93.89% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average.

When comparing Hilsman Middle School to other middle schools in the Clarke County district and surrounding areas, it is clear that Hilsman is underperforming academically. Schools like Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, Clarke Middle School, and Dove Creek Middle School (in the neighboring Oconee County district) all significantly outperform Hilsman on state assessments, with higher proficiency rates in core subjects. The consistent low performance of Hilsman Middle School suggests the need for a comprehensive review and implementation of strategies to address the unique needs of its student population and improve overall educational outcomes.

624

Students ?

11.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,802

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

870 Gaines School Rd
Athens, GA 30605

(706) 548-7281

District: Clarke County

Students who attend Hilsman Middle School usually attend:

High:

Cedar Shoals High School

Feeder schools for Hilsman Middle School:

Elementary:	Barnett Shoals Elementary School
	Gaines Elementary School
	Whit Davis Road Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

56.7%

White:

18.6%

Hispanic:

17.9%

See top rated Georgia middle schools

Compare Hilsman Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 40th percentile in 2015 → 23rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Georgia average (24% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (23rd percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (26% vs 20% Georgia)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school24%

District avg30%

Georgia avg41%

451^st of 584

Georgia public middle schools ?

Bottom 23%▼ down 17 pts since 2015

From bottom 40% (2015) to bottom 23% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Georgia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4Middle Schools in the Clarke County

150^th of 206Clarke County among Georgia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Georgia percentile	Rating
2025	22.5	451 of 584	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.8	443 of 588	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.0	399 of 577	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.9	407 of 567	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.9	446 of 542	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.2	438 of 559	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.9	397 of 543	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	35.4	353 of 539	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	30.7	387 of 545	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	38.6	324 of 537	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2014	31.8	417 of 521	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	28.7	429 of 527	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	45.4	329 of 508	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	41.9	339 of 504	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	47.7	290 of 494	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	36.7	351 of 466	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	23.6	398 of 462	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	22.1	393 of 445	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	22.3	369 of 420	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Georgia (2024-2025) ?

Algebra I84%+39 vs state

Social Studies25%-14 vs state

English Language Arts24%-16 vs state

Mathematics19%-23 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★0

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3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a student
Monday, September 27, 2010

It's not very child friendly. Like, I think that most of the teachers don't consider students when they make decisions. They can also be very discouraging and a lot of the people in power are he types that like to bully students. Close Quote

Schools Near Hilsman Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2025)	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2025)			Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2025)			Milestones Assessment Science (2025)	Milestones Assessment Social Studies (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Milestones Assessment Algebra I 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
Hilsman Middle School	Public	6-8	870 Gaines School Rd	Athens	30605	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 548-7281	624	57	11.0	100.0%	116 (18.6%)	354 (56.7%)	112 (17.9%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (5.6%)	22.5	451^st of 584 public middle schools	22.8%		24.8	443^rd of 588 public middle schools	24.7%	8	84.0	25.1	18.6	28.8	9.7	17.9	28.8		24.8	$20,802	$1,543	$19,259
Clarke Middle School	Public	6-8	1235 Baxter St	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 543-6547	718	63	11.3	83.8%	249 (34.7%)	324 (45.1%)	94 (13.1%)	13 (1.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	36 (5.0%)	49.7	268^th of 584 public middle schools	54.1%		55	243^rd of 588 public middle schools	58.7%	25	83.0	40.3	33.6	40.5	31.2	30.2	44.4		40.2	$19,260	$1,205	$18,055
Coile Middle School	Public	6-8	110 Old Elberton Rd	Athens	30601	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 357-5318	582	55	10.5	100.0%	30 (5.2%)	232 (39.9%)	302 (51.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.7%)	15.1	515^th of 584 public middle schools	11.8%		12.5	541^st of 588 public middle schools	8.0%	26	60.5	18.8	16.8	19.1	14.1	10.7	23.4		16.6	$20,057	$1,978	$18,079
Oconee County Middle School	Public	6-8	1101 Mars Hill Rd	Watkinsville	30677	Oconee County	Oconee County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 769-3575	940	58	16.2	18.3%	755 (80.3%)	35 (3.7%)	74 (7.9%)	35 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (4.4%)	94.1	39^th of 584 public middle schools	93.3%		95.5	31^st of 588 public middle schools	94.7%	8	100.0	68.5	61.6	66.8	65.6	65.3	78.9		72.1	$10,990	$370	$10,620
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School	Public	6-8	1600 Tallassee Rd	Athens	30606	Clarke County	Clarke County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 548-7208	707	62	11.4	100.0%	110 (15.6%)	275 (38.9%)	289 (40.9%)	10 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.1%)	47.7	281^st of 584 public middle schools	51.9%		39.3	345^th of 588 public middle schools	41.3%	64	94.4	27.5	32.3	31.6	33.8	43.6	43.1		43.5	$19,221	$1,393	$17,828
Malcom Bridge Middle School	Public	6-8	2500 Malcom Bridge Rd	Bogart	30622	Oconee County	Oconee County	No	No	No	No	(706) 310-1992	548	40	13.7	17.2%	380 (69.3%)	18 (3.3%)	58 (10.6%)	69 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.0%)	97.2	19^th of 584 public middle schools	96.7%		98.3	11^th of 588 public middle schools	98.1%	8	100.0	68.7	71.0	71.1	74.1	80.9	82.0		81.0	$13,618	$222	$13,396
Oglethorpe County Middle School	Public	6-8	270 Buddy Faust Rd	Crawford	30630	Oglethorpe County	Oglethorpe County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 743-8146	523	41	12.7	84.5%	320 (61.2%)	95 (18.2%)	69 (13.2%)	10 (1.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (5.0%)	57.3	224^th of 584 public middle schools	61.6%		59	215^th of 588 public middle schools	63.4%	9	100.0	34.4	36.9	43.5	41.1	40.5	59.5	34.9	27.0	$13,265	$584	$12,681
Bear Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	228 Jefferson St	Statham	30666	Barrow County	Barrow County	No	No	No	Yes	(770) 867-2116	752	59	12.8	57.7%	344 (45.7%)	115 (15.3%)	217 (28.9%)	25 (3.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (6.6%)	41.8	325^th of 584 public middle schools	44.3%		43	319^th of 588 public middle schools	45.7%	6	82.4	34.6	32.6	33.8	31.7	30.1	42.5	29.1	22.4	$13,768	$822	$12,945
Madison County Middle School	Public	6-8	3215 Highway 172	Comer	30629	Madison County	Madison County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 783-2400	1,147	77	14.9	84.6%	740 (64.5%)	132 (11.5%)	183 (16.0%)	33 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (5.1%)	50.3	265^th of 584 public middle schools	54.6%		50.3	272^nd of 588 public middle schools	53.7%	7	95.0	37.8	29.4	33.2	42.9	38.4	51.1	24.6	34.0	$12,536	$598	$11,938
Dove Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	7915 Hog Mountain Rd	Statham	30666	Oconee County	Oconee County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(706) 310-2017	528	34	15.6	9.8%	431 (81.6%)	16 (3.0%)	22 (4.2%)	36 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.4%)	97.6	16^th of 584 public middle schools	97.3%		96.9	19^th of 588 public middle schools	96.8%	3	100.0	73.9	73.1	68.3	77.7	79.0	82.5		83.0	$12,633	$112	$12,521

Frequently Asked Questions about Hilsman Middle School

What district is Hilsman Middle School in?

Clarke County

How many students attend Hilsman Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 624 students attended Hilsman Middle School.

Is Hilsman Middle School a good school?

Hilsman Middle School ranks in the bottom 22.8% of Georgia middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Hilsman Middle School?

Students at Hilsman Middle School are 57% African American, 19% White, 18% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Hilsman Middle School attend?

Students who attend Hilsman Middle School usually go on to attend Cedar Shoals High School

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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.