By Alicia Couch Payne
Niche has released its list of the best school districts in Georgia for 2020. Using data from the U.S. Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings from Niche users, Niche.com is able to rank the public school districts in the state.
The number one public school district in the state of Georgia is the Buford City School System. They received an overall rating of A+. This makes the sixth year that Buford has earned the top spot in the state from Niche.com. They rank as the number one district for the safest school district and for the best district for athletes as well. Buford also is the top school district for places to teach as the school district pays its employees well above the state average and provides a supportive environment. Buford receives an A for Academics, A+ for Teachers, A+ for Clubs & Activities, A for Diversity, A+ for College Prep, A+ for Health & Safety, A+ for Administration, A+ for Sports, A+ for Food, and A for Resources & Facilities. 
The top ten public school districts according to Niche.
- Buford City Schools
- Oconee County Schools
- Forsyth County Schools
- Decatur City Schools
- Jefferson City Schools
- Fayette County Public Schools
- Carrollton City Schools
- Bremen City Schools
- Calhoun City Schools
- Cartersville City Schools
Gwinnett County Public Schools come in at number 21 and Hall County ranks at number 38. Neighboring counties of Jackson and Barrow come in at number 57 for Jackson and number 62.
While Gwinnett County as a whole may rank at 21, some of their high schools rank higher. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology in Lawrenceville ranks as the number one public high school in Georgia. North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee ranks number 8. Mill Creek comes in at number 28 while Lanier High School comes in at number 42. Lanier High School ranks as the 17th most diverse high school in the state while nearby Mountain View is the 16th most diverse high school, Collins Hill ranks as the seventh most diverse, Dacula is number nine, Peachtree Ridge is the second most diverse, and North Gwinnett comes in at a distant 84th place in diversity.
Buford High School is the 17th best high school in the state but it’s teachers rank as the seventh-best in the state. BHS ranks at number 71 for the most diverse. As far as athletics go, BHS ranks as the second-best high school in the state for athletes.
Here are how nearby middle schools faired.
- Buford Middle School (Buford, Ga.) – 4th
- Lanier Middle School (Buford, Ga.) – 57th
- North Gwinnett Middle School (Sugar Hill, Ga.) – 25th
- Glenn C. Jones Middle School (Buford, Ga.) – 34th
- Twin Rivers Middle School (Buford, Ga.) – 33rd
- Frank N. Osborne Middle School (Hoschton, Ga.) – 26th
Below you will find the breakdown of how they calculate each district’s score as taken from Niche.com.
- Academics Grade – 50%
- Based on state assessment proficiency, SAT/ACT scores, and survey responses on academics from students and parents.
- Teachers Grade – 15%
- Based on teacher salary, teacher absenteeism, state test results, and survey responses on teachers from students and parents.
- Culture & Diversity Grade – 10%
- Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
- Parent/Student Surveys on Overall Experience – 10%
- Niche survey responses scored on a 1-5 scale regarding the overall experience of students and parents in the district.
- Health & Safety Grade – 5%
- Based on chronic student absenteeism, suspensions/expulsions, and survey responses on the school environment from students and parents.
- Resources & Facilities Grade – 5%
- Based on expenses per student, staffing, and survey responses on facilities from students and parents.
- Clubs & Activities Grade – 2.5%
- Based on expenses per student and survey responses on clubs and activities from students and parents.
- Sports Grade – 2.5%
- Based on the number of sports, participation, and survey responses on athletics and athletic facilities from students and parents.
For more information about these rankings, please visit niche.com.
