Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School

Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is a middle school of reasonably sized scale in Athens, Georgia, one of the schools within Clarke County, caters to 707 students in grades 6 through 8.

Within Clarke County, which oversees 21 schools and 12,275 students, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is one campus in the system.

In terms of who attends, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School shows that the most-represented group is Hispanic (41%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Other groups include 39% Black, 16% White, 3% multiracial. That is meaningfully more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 12%.

Looking at school resources, The school lists 62 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 11.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.1:1, putting Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School tighter than the state norm the norm. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Clarke County (around 91%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

With demographic context factored in, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 25.7%; this one delivers 40.2%.

In the surrounding community, Clarke County reports that the typical household earns roughly $53,625 per year, about 47% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 13%. In all, Clarke County runs 22 public schools (combined enrollment of about 13,750 students), of which Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School is one.

The closest other public school is Whitehead Road Elementary School, roughly 2.3 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 7 other public schools cluster around Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School at 3rd of 8; the average score across the group is 36.0%.

The school occupies an inner-city site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School's enrollment has increased 5% since 2018, when it stood at 676 (now 707). Black enrollment moved from 43% to 39% across the same window. Class-load math has narrowed: from 13.8:1 in 2018 to 11.5:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, posts here usually surface around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.