Please note: The work of the Council for School Performance is now done by the Office of Education Accountability. Archived reports and trend data on schools and school systems are available at the old Council for School Performance webpage.
1998-99 Clusters:
1997-98 Clusters:
1996-97 Clusters:
1995-96 Clusters:
Description of School System Clusters for 1997-98 Reports
The school systems are grouped into seven clusters based on their student enrollment and the demographic and economic characteristics of their students. In grouping the school systems, the percentage of a system's students eligible for free or reduced price lunch carried the most weight. The principals' ratings of the socio-economic status (SES) of their students and the percentage of white students were weighted approximately equally and about half of that for free and reduced price lunch eligibility.
High to Middle SES School SystemsCluster 1 (17 school systems). On average 72% of the students are from high and middle SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 7% and 45% with an median of 26%. These school systems have from 50 to 100 percent white students with a median of 80% white students. Eighteen percent are located in the suburban counties of metro-Atlanta; 41% are located in counties with 80,000 to 120,000 residents in lightly populated suburban and rural areas; and 41% are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). These systems have more than 10,000 students.
Cluster 2 (37 school systems). On average 61% of the students are from high and middle SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 17% and 60% with an average of 37%. These school systems have from 68 to 100 percent white students with a median of 85% white students. All but three school systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). Two are located in counties with 80,000 to 120,000 residents in lightly populated suburban and rural areas. One is located in a suburban county of metro-Atlanta. These systems have from 1,100 to 12,000 students.
Middle SES School SystemsCluster 3 (33 school systems). On average 41% of the students are from middle SES households and 41% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 35% and 80% with an average of 46%. These school systems have from 33 to 99 percent white students with a median of 72% white students. All but one of these school systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). These systems have between 2,000 and 11,000 students.
Cluster 4 (12 school systems). On average 43% of the students are from middle SES households and 39% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 49% and 72% with an average of 55%. These school systems have from 6 to 57 percent white students with a median of 34% white students. Six of these school systems are located in heavily populated urban counties. One is located in a suburban county of metro-Atlanta. Five are located in counties with fewer than 120,000 residents. These systems have more than 10,000 students.
Cluster 5 (34 school systems). On average 40% of the students are from middle SES households and 47% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 49% and 100% with an average of 61%. These school systems have from 25 to 66 percent white students with a median of 48% white students.. All but four of these systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). These systems have between 1,800 students and 8,500 students.
Low SES School SystemsCluster 6 (27 school systems). On average 52% of the students are from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 52% and 100% with an average of 69% These school systems have from 44 to 68 percent white students with a median of 55% white students.. These systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). All of these systems have between 800 and 5600 students.
Cluster 7 (20 school systems). On average over 56% of the students are from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 74% and 100% with an average of 89%. These school systems have from 1 to 40 percent white students with a median of 15% white students. These systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). All of these systems have less than 6,500 students.
Description of School System Clusters for 1996-97 Reports
The school systems are grouped into seven clusters based on their student enrollment and the demographic and economic characteristics of their students. In grouping the school systems, the percentage of a system's students eligible for free or reduced price lunch carried the most weight. The principals' ratings of the socio-economic status (SES) of their students and the percentage of white students were weighted approximately equally and about half of that for free and reduced price lunch eligibility.
High to Middle SES School Systems: 1996-97
Cluster 1 (17 school systems). On average 70% of the students are from high and middle SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 7% and 42% with an average of 25%. For 60% of these school systems, at least 80% of the students are white. None of the school systems have a majority of non-white students. Three are located in the suburban counties of metro-Atlanta; seven are located in counties with 80,000 to 120,000 residents in lightly populated suburban and rural areas; and seven are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). These systems have more than 10,000 students.
Cluster 2 (37 school systems). On average 60% of the students are from high and middle SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 12% and 49% with an average of 35%. For 70% of these school systems, at least 80% of the students are white. None of the school systems have a majority of non-white students. All but three school systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). Two are located in counties with 80,000 to 120,000 residents in lightly populated suburban and rural areas. One is located in a suburban county of metro-Atlanta. These systems have approximately 10,000 students or less.
Middle SES School Systems: 1996-97
Cluster 3 (33 school systems). On average 40% of the students are from middle SES households and 40% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 32% and 57% with an average of 46%. Thirty percent of these school systems are evenly divided between white and non-white students (40% to 60% of either group). For 40% of these school systems, at least 80% of the students are white. All but one of these school systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). These systems have between 2,000 and 10,000 students.
Cluster 4 (12 school systems). On average 40% of the students are from middle SES households and 40% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 47% and 72% with an average of 56%. For 83% of these school systems at least 60% of their students are non-white. Six of these school systems are located in heavily populated urban counties. One is located in a suburban county of metro-Atlanta. Five are located in counties with fewer than 120,000 residents. These systems have more than 10,000 students.
Cluster 5 (34 school systems). On average 35% of the students are from middle SES households and 45% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 49% and 69% with an average of 59%. Half of these school systems are evenly divided between white and non-white students (40% to 60% of either group). The percentages of white students range from 27% to 66%. All but four of these systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). These systems have approximately 2,000 students but less than 8,500 students.
Low SES School Systems: 1996-97
Cluster 6 (27 school systems). On average 50% of the students are from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 47% and 79% with an average of 62%. Sixty percent of these school systems are evenly divided between white and non-white students (40% to 60% of either group). The percentages of white students range from 23% to 68%. These systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). All of these systems have approximately 2,000 students are less.
Cluster 7 (20 school systems). On average over 50% of the students are from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 72% and 88% with an average of 79%. The percentages of non-white students range from 59% to 99%. These systems are located in primarily rural counties (no towns larger than 30,000 residents). All of these systems have less than 6,000 students.
Description of School System Clusters for 1995-96 Reports
Systems were divided into three groups: 10,000 or more students, 2,000 to 9,999 students, and fewer than 2,000 students. Within size groupings, the systems were clustered by percentage of students eligible for free and reduced price lunch, a weighted average of the principals' ratings of student body socio-economic status (SES), and the percentage of white students. In order to make quintile comparisons within clusters, it was desirable to have at least 20 school systems in each cluster. If a cluster initially had fewer than 20 school systems, it was compared with other clusters on the percentage eligible for free and reduced price lunch, SES, and racial composition, then combined if similar. Large school systems (10,000 or more students) were not combined with smaller school systems (fewer than 10,000 students).
High to Middle SES School Systems: 1995-96
Cluster 1 (17 school systems) Seventy percent of the students are from high and middle SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 7% and 41 % with an average of 25%. For 65% of these school systems at least 80% of their students are white. None of the systems are located in heavily populated urban counties. Three are located in the suburban counties of metro-Atlanta; seven are located in counties with large towns (30,000 to 100,000 residents), lightly populated suburbs, and rural areas; and seven are located in counties with small towns (fewer than 30,000 residents) and rural areas. All of systems have more than 10,000 students.
Cluster 2 (37 school systems) Sixty-five percent of the students are from high and middle SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 12% and 51% with an average of 35%. For 70% of these school systems at least 80% of their students are white. All but three systems are located in counties with small towns (fewer than 30,000 residents) and rural areas. Two are located in counties with large towns (30,000 to 100,000 residents), lightly populated suburbs, and rural areas. One is located in a suburban county of metro-Atlanta. All systems have fewer than 10,000 students.
Middle SES School Systems: 1995-96
Cluster 3 (33 school systems) Forty percent of the students are from middle SES households and 40% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 33% and 56% with an average of 46%. For all but two of these school systems the majority of their students are white. For 40% of these systems at least 80% of their students are white. All but one of these systems are located in counties with small towns (fewer than 30,000 residents) and rural areas. All systems have between 2,000 and 10,000 students.
Cluster 4 (12 school systems) Eighty percent of the students are from middle and low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 46% and 80% with an average of 57%. For 83% of these school systems at least 60% of their students are minorities. Six of these systems are located in heavily populated urban counties. One is located in a suburban county of metro-Atlanta. Five are located in counties with fewer than 120,000 residents. All systems have more than 10,000 students.
Cluster 5 (34 school systems) Forty percent of the students are from middle SES households and 50% from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 51 % and 71 % with an average of 60%. The percentage of minority students ranges from 23% to 63%. For 50% of the school systems the majority of their students are white. All but four of these systems are located in counties with small towns (fewer than 30,000 residents) and rural areas. All systems have between 2,000 and 10,000 students.
Low SES School Systems: 1995-96
Cluster 6 (27 school systems) Fifty percent of the students are from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 52% and 80% with an average of 64%. The percentage of minority students ranges from 34% to 58%. For 74% of the school systems the majority of their students are white. All these systems are located in counties with small towns (fewer than 30,000 residents) and rural areas. All systems have fewer than 2,000 students.
Cluster 7 (20 school systems) Sixty-five percent of the students are from low SES households. Student eligibility for free or reduced price lunch ranges between 72% and 100% with an average of 84%. The percentage of minority students ranges from 59% to 99%. All these systems are located in counties with small towns (fewer than 30,000 residents) and rural areas. All systems have fewer than 10,000 students.