Dalton High School

Q: Is Dalton High School a good school?

Dalton High School ranks 260 th of 458 Georgia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dalton High School is a public high school serving 1,382 students in grades 9-12 in Dalton, Georgia. The school is part of the Dalton Public Schools district, which is ranked 112 out of 203 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Dalton High School has maintained high 4-year graduation rates, ranging from 90.7% to 95.1% over the past 5 years, which is a strong performance compared to the state average. However, the school's test scores on the Georgia Milestones Assessments have been mixed, with students performing better than the district average in some subjects but lagging behind the state average in most areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 34.3% of Dalton High School students were proficient or better in American Literature and Composition, compared to the state average of 42%. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 32.75% to 55.43% over the past 3 years, suggesting a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students compared to the state.

When compared to nearby schools, Dalton High School's performance is mixed. While it outperforms some schools, such as Pleasant Valley Innovative School, it lags behind higher-performing schools like Ringgold High School and Northwest Whitfield County High School in areas like test scores and graduation rates. Additionally, Dalton High School's statewide ranking has declined over the past several years, from a high of 102 out of 425 Georgia high schools in 2013-2014 to a current ranking of 260 out of 458 in 2023-2024, suggesting that the school's performance may be declining relative to other schools in the state.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1500 Manly St
Dalton, GA 30720

(706) 278-8757

District: Dalton Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
260^th of 458 Georgia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,446

Feeder schools for Dalton High School:

Elementary:	Blue Ridge Elementary School
	Brookwood Elementary School
	City Park Elementary School
	Park Creek Elementary School
	More...
	Roan Elementary School
	Westwood Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 1,379

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

70.8%

White:

19.6%

African American:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 60.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dalton High School ranks worse than 56.8% of high schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.45. (See more...)

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

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (70.8%), White (19.6%), African American (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 60.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dalton High School is 16. (See more...)

Compare Dalton High School employs 85.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dalton High School is $8,446.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Dalton High School 260^th of 458 Georgia public high schools. (See Dalton High School in the ranking list.)

Dalton Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Dalton Public Schools 112^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Dalton High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	58.43	123^rd	335	63.3%
2007	69.74	77^th	358	78.5%
2008	74.48	67^th	370	81.9%
2009	74.45	68^th	372	81.7%
2010	79.71	53^rd	384	86.2%
2011	77.95	56^th	402	86.1%
2012	74.63	71^st	396	82.1%
2013	66.00	104^th	425	75.5%
2014	65.85	102^nd	425	76.0%
2015	39.57	226^th	435	48.0%
2016	42.93	201^st	426	52.8%
2017	35.82	236^th	420	43.8%
2018	45.43	183^rd	428	57.2%
2019	46.47	181^st	438	58.7%
2021	28.49	280^th	410	31.7%
2022	56.19	136^th	429	68.3%
2023	37.21	248^th	442	43.9%
2024	36.45	260^th	458	43.2%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Dalton 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	1073	1073
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1047	1047
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	999	999
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1031	1031
1994	791	168	16	82	6	n/a	n/a	0	1063
1995	711	146	30	221	0	n/a	n/a	0	1108
1996	711	146	30	221	0	n/a	n/a	0	1108
1997	696	134	33	276	1	n/a	n/a	0	1140
1998	667	156	33	321	1	n/a	n/a	0	1178
1999	653	137	41	413	1	n/a	n/a	0	1245
2000	651	140	0	468	46	n/a	n/a	0	1305
2001	624	136	0	565	50	n/a	n/a	0	1375
2002	578	124	48	707	11	n/a	n/a	0	1468
2003	578	124	48	707	11	n/a	n/a	0	1468
2004	550	124	54	739	4	n/a	n/a	0	1471
2005	549	135	47	778	7	n/a	n/a	11	1527
2006	506	106	51	868	3	n/a	n/a	12	1546
2007	482	118	62	888	3	n/a	n/a	23	1576
2008	461	108	47	932	2	n/a	n/a	31	1581
2009	444	107	54	957	2	n/a	n/a	39	1603
2010	382	94	45	832	7	1	51	0	1412
2011	396	82	39	899	12	3	42	0	1473
2012	386	75	42	879	3	1	42	0	1428
2013	407	72	33	874	4	1	32	0	1423
2014	430	75	38	1062	1	1	33	0	1640
2015	459	86	30	1245	4	1	49	0	1874
2016	458	103	36	1192	2	0	38	0	1829
2017	470	103	41	1330	2	0	49	0	1995
2018	433	84	44	1289	5	0	46	0	1901
2019	468	103	46	1398	5	0	47	0	2067
2020	424	95	56	1413	2	0	60	0	2050
2021	408	92	55	1497	0	0	52	0	2104
2022	254	58	41	1036	0	0	25	0	1414
2023	260	62	44	985	0	0	31	0	1382
2024	270	56	43	977	1	1	31	0	1379

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 Dalton High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1073	67.0	16.0	4.9
1991	1047	64.0	16.3	8
1992	999	63.0	15.8	10.5
1993	1031	58.0	17.8	10.1
1994	1063	65.6	16.2	16.3
1995	1108	66.4	16.7	22.1
1996	1108	66.4	16.7	22.1
1997	1140	79.8	14.3	28.2
1998	1178	74.8	15.7	27.1
1999	1245	77.2	16.1	28.2
2000	1305	78.6	16.6	28.1
2001	1375	86.0	16.0	31.3
2002	1468	84.5	17.4	44.6
2003	1468	84.5	17.4	44.6
2004	1471	91.2	16.1	42.6
2005	1527	98.5	15.5	49.9
2006	1546	104.0	14.9	56.3
2007	1576	103.5	15.2	47.8
2008	1581	103.0	15.3	64.2
2009	1603	108.0	14.8	62.7
2010	1412	97.5	14.4	67.6
2011	1473	89.7	16.4	65.9
2012	1428	81.5	17.5	64.9
2013	1423	83.4	17.0	66.4
2014	1640	90.6	18.1	70.1
2015	1874	98.0	19.1	66.5
2016	1829	102.0	17.9	63
2017	1995	106.3	18.7	64.7
2018	1901	112.4	16.9	65.1
2019	2067	111.0	18.6	64.5
2020	2050	116.9	17.5	73
2021	2104	118.0	17.8	32.7
2022	1414	95.0	14.8	n/a
2023	1382	88.5	15.6	55.4
2024	1379	85.8	16.0	60.3

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 Dalton High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1073	67.0	16.0	4.9
1991	1047	64.0	16.3	8
1992	999	63.0	15.8	10.5
1993	1031	58.0	17.8	10.1
1994	1063	65.6	16.2	16.3
1995	1108	66.4	16.7	22.1
1996	1108	66.4	16.7	22.1
1997	1140	79.8	14.3	28.2
1998	1178	74.8	15.7	27.1
1999	1245	77.2	16.1	28.2
2000	1305	78.6	16.6	28.1
2001	1375	86.0	16.0	31.3
2002	1468	84.5	17.4	44.6
2003	1468	84.5	17.4	44.6
2004	1471	91.2	16.1	42.6
2005	1527	98.5	15.5	49.9
2006	1546	104.0	14.9	56.3
2007	1576	103.5	15.2	47.8
2008	1581	103.0	15.3	64.2
2009	1603	108.0	14.8	62.7
2010	1412	97.5	14.4	67.6
2011	1473	89.7	16.4	65.9
2012	1428	81.5	17.5	64.9
2013	1423	83.4	17.0	66.4
2014	1640	90.6	18.1	70.1
2015	1874	98.0	19.1	66.5
2016	1829	102.0	17.9	63
2017	1995	106.3	18.7	64.7
2018	1901	112.4	16.9	65.1
2019	2067	111.0	18.6	64.5
2020	2050	116.9	17.5	73
2021	2104	118.0	17.8	32.7
2022	1414	95.0	14.8	n/a
2023	1382	88.5	15.6	55.4
2024	1379	85.8	16.0	60.3

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 Dalton High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$522 (6.6%)	$7,386 (93.4%)	$7,908
2018	$486 (5.4%)	$8,559 (94.6%)	$9,045
2019	$459 (5.4%)	$7,986 (94.6%)	$8,446

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dalton 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 181^st of 438 High schools	Ranks 248^th of 442 High schools	14.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Dalton High School)	43.6	32.6	11%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Dalton Public Schools)	39.5	27.7	11.8%
End of Course American Literature and Composition (Georgia)	47.3	38.9	8.4%
End of Course Algebra I (Dalton High School)	29.1	1.7	27.4%
End of Course Algebra I (Dalton Public Schools)	33.5	29.1	4.4%
End of Course Algebra I (Georgia)	41.1	35.8	5.3%
End of Course Biology (Dalton High School)	48.2	21.4	26.8%
End of Course Biology (Dalton Public Schools)	44.5	37	7.5%
End of Course Biology (Georgia)	49	45.5	3.5%
End of Course United States History (Dalton High School)	41.1	32.1	9%
End of Course United States History (Dalton Public Schools)	36.6	25.1	11.5%
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	2067	1382	33.1%
African American	103	62	39.8%
American Indian	5	0	100%
Asian	46	44	4.3%
Hispanic	1398	985	29.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	468	260	44.4%
Two or More Races	47	31	34%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	64.5%	55.4%	9.1%

Schools Near Dalton 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)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dalton High School	Public	9-12	1500 Manly St	Dalton	30720	Whitfield County	Dalton Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 278-8757	1,379	86	16.0	60.3%	270 (19.6%)	56 (4.1%)	977 (70.8%)	43 (3.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (2.2%)	36.4	260^th of 458 public high schools	43.2%		37.2	248^th of 442 public high schools	43.9%	12	34.3	7.1	27.5	29.3	$8,446	$459	$7,987
The Dalton Academy	Public	10-12	1250 Cross Plains Trai1	Dalton	30721	Whitfield County	Dalton Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 876-4700	431	43	9.9	73.1%	38 (8.8%)	17 (3.9%)	357 (82.8%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.2%)	16.7	384^th of 458 public high schools	16.2%		10.5	412^th of 442 public high schools	6.8%	28	20.8	6.8	15.0	19.5
Elbert Shaw Regional Youth Detention Center	Public	5-12	2735 Underwood Rd NE	Dalton	30721	Whitfield County	Department of Juvenile Justice	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 272-2309	7	3	2.3		3 (42.9%)	2 (28.6%)	1 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (14.3%)								(n/a)
Phoenix High School	Public	9-12	2300 Maddox Chapel Rd NE	Dalton	30721	Whitfield County	Whitfield County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 876-3600	185	10	17.9	83.8%	93 (50.3%)	3 (1.6%)	76 (41.1%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.4%)	5.8	441^st of 458 public high schools	3.7%		9.1	417^th of 442 public high schools	5.7%	24	5.2	0.0	7.0	5.0	$13,145	$1,286	$11,859
Southeast Whitfield County High School	Public	9-12	1954 Riverbend Rd	Dalton	30721	Whitfield County	Whitfield County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 226-2753	1,512	89	17.0	84.3%	383 (25.3%)	20 (1.3%)	1,068 (70.6%)	5 (0.3%)	6 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	29 (1.9%)	37.8	252^nd of 458 public high schools	45.0%		40.8	228^th of 442 public high schools	48.4%	24	30.9	32.7	31.8	41.3	$8,262	$623	$7,639
Northwest Whitfield County High School	Public	9-12	1651 Tunnel Hill Varnell Rd	Tunnel Hill	30755	Whitfield County	Whitfield County	No	No	No	No	(706) 673-6533	1,130	73	15.4	63.1%	650 (57.5%)	23 (2.0%)	396 (35.0%)	9 (0.8%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (4.2%)	55.2	156^th of 458 public high schools	65.9%		62.9	107^th of 442 public high schools	75.8%	49	48.1	33.9	47.7	43.3	$8,538	$374	$8,165
Coahulla Creek High School	Public	9-12	3361 Crow Rd NE	Dalton	30721	Whitfield County	Whitfield County	No	No	No	No	(706) 694-4900	1,021	57	18.0	68.9%	578 (56.6%)	19 (1.9%)	379 (37.1%)	6 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (3.5%)	45.5	210^th of 458 public high schools	54.1%		48.9	181^st of 442 public high schools	59.0%	29	43.8	35.8	40.7	33.7	$8,053	$408	$7,645
North Murray High School	Public	9-12	2662 Mount Carmel Church Rd	Chatsworth	30705	Murray County	Murray County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 695-7760	999	65	15.4	66.7%	728 (72.9%)	8 (0.8%)	252 (25.2%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.7%)	40.3	240^th of 458 public high schools	47.6%		41.8	220^th of 442 public high schools	50.2%	20	34.1	39.3	34.4	35.4	$8,056	$434	$7,622
Murray County High School	Public	9-12	1001 Green Rd	Chatsworth	30705	Murray County	Murray County	No	No	No	Yes	(706) 695-1414	1,099	68	16.2	75.4%	717 (65.2%)	7 (0.6%)	352 (32.0%)	6 (0.5%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (1.2%)	34.3	273^rd of 458 public high schools	40.4%		36.1	258^th of 442 public high schools	41.6%	15	35.2	17.3	35.3	37.4	$7,942	$409	$7,533
Ringgold High School	Public	9-12	29 Tiger Trl	Ringgold	30736	Catoosa County	Catoosa County	No	No	No	No	(706) 935-2254	1,020	86	11.9	50.1%	897 (87.9%)	37 (3.6%)	36 (3.5%)	13 (1.3%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (3.3%)	58.5	141^st of 458 public high schools	69.2%		67.8	86^th of 442 public high schools	80.5%	55	36.5	50.8	57.9	42.4	$10,165	$438	$9,728

Frequently Asked Questions about Dalton High School

What district is Dalton High School in?

Dalton Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Dalton High School?

Students at Dalton High School are 71% Hispanic, 20% White, 4% African American, 3% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Dalton High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,379 students attended Dalton High School.

What schools feed into Dalton High School?

Dalton High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Blue Ridge Elementary School
Elementary : Brookwood Elementary School
Elementary : City Park Elementary School
Elementary : Park Creek Elementary School
Elementary : Roan Elementary School
Elementary : Westwood Elementary School

Is Dalton High School a good school?

Dalton High School ranks 260^th of 458 Georgia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.