The culture in many Georgia schools is getting worse, according to the latest “climate” index based on characteristics such as disciplinary rates and feelings of safety

The "School Climate Star" ratings released Wednesday by the Georgia Department of Education show fewer schools ranking at the top of the index and more at the bottom for the 2014-15 school year.

» COMPLETE RATINGS: View the full list of schools and ratings here

A five is the top score, and 259 schools ranked there versus 334 the prior year. Twenty more schools fell to the bottom of the list in 2015, for a total of 87.

The rating is derived from a variety of sources, including surveys of parents and school staff and discipline and attendance data.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Atlanta-based rapper and actor Ludacris reacts with Utopian Academy for the Arts student Oora-Adele Wicker as she prepares to showcase her song that she created during the TechTunes workshop on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. The Ludacris Foundation presented the program in collaboration with Microsoft. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Students in Jeremy Lowe's fourth grade class at Parkside Elementary read "warm-up plays" they wrote on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. Atlanta Public Schools saw significant improvement in fourth grade math and reading scores on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez