Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School

Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School is one of the moderately sized junior highs in Decatur, Georgia, one of the schools within DeKalb County, with 655 students on its rolls from grades 6 through 8.

Across the 131 schools in DeKalb County (92,088 students total), Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School lists that Black students make up the majority at 74%. Beyond that, the school lists 14% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 3% multiracial, 2% White. By comparison, DeKalb County as a whole is about 51% Black, so the school skews meaningfully more Black than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 52 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.6:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.1:1, putting Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 100% of students at Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against DeKalb County (around 77%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

After controlling for student poverty, Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 25.7% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 15.1%.

Across the wider county, DeKalb County reports that median household earnings sit near $80,644, about 47% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. In all, DeKalb County runs 154 public schools (combined enrollment of about 102,960 students), of which Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Woodridge Elementary School, around 0.6 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School at 5th of 8; the average score across the group is 18.8%.

Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School operates from a suburban location.

Looking at the recent track record. Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School's enrollment has fell 24% since 2018, when it stood at 858 (now 655). Over the same period, the Black share shrank from 89% to 74%. Class-load math has pulled in: from 14.5:1 in 2018 to 12.6:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the feed for Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School typically covers pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.