Martin Luther King, Jr. High School: Top GA Education (2026 List)

About Martin Luther King- Jr. High School

Martin Luther King, Jr. High School, located at 3991 Snapfinger Rd., Lithonia, GA 30038, serves students in grades 9 through 12 as a public high school within DeKalb County School District. Nearly 1,431 students attend the campus, where student-teacher ratios average close to 16:1. About 49% of students are female, while 51% are male. State assessments show around 6% of students are proficient in math and nearly 20% meet reading proficiency standards. The school is well known for its athletics tradition, marching band performances, and active student leadership programs. About 7% of students participate in AP or advanced academic coursework, and the graduation rate stands near 80%. Learning opportunities include pathways in healthcare, engineering, business, information technology, and public service. The campus sits along the Snapfinger Road corridor near the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, where wooded neighborhoods, established subdivisions, and nearby home values commonly range from the upper-$200,000s to around $700,000. The school has built a reputation among top high schools in Georgia for its strong community presence, extracurricular involvement, and commitment to student achievement.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 6%

Reading 20%

State average proficiency is 6% in Math and 20% in Reading.

87

Full-time Teachers

16 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

1431

Total Students

$62692

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 1.19%

Asian 0.21%

Hispanic 4.05%

Black 91.89%

Two+ Races 2.31%

Native Am. 0.28%

White

1.19%

Asian

0.21%

Hispanic

4.05%

Black

91.89%

Two+ Races

2.31%

Native Am.

0.28%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 1431

49.34%

706 Female

50.66%

725 Male

Student Population

1431 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 16 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

357 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Martin Luther King- Jr. High School Contact Information

Address

3991 Snapfinger Rd, Lithonia, GA, 30038

View on Map

Phone

(678) 874-5402

Call Now

Website

mlkinghs.dekalb.k12.ga.us

Recent News & Updates

New Playground Name

We are so excited to announce the name of our new playground! Following a school-wide and Robinson community vote we narrowed a large list of names down to four. Since our students will be using the playground on a daily basis, we gave them the final vote! 476.....

School Timings

Regular School Hours

All Grades: 8:10 AM - 3:20 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 7:55 AM for student arrival. Please refer to the school calendar for specific early dismissal dates.

After School Activities

Information coming soon

School Session Dates

September to June

School session starts in September 1st week and ends in June 3rd week. For exact dates, please contact the school.

Remarkable Alumni

Being Updated

Map

Latest News

Martin Luther King Jr. High School announced the hiring of Willie Reese to be the new head coach of the varsity boys basketball team. Reese, with a wealth of coaching experience and a duty to lead the team into the future, joined the Lithonia program. He was hired to oversee player development and lead the school’s boys basketball program. Coaching changes are a normal part of high school athletics, and help set the direction of competitive sports programs.

FAQ

Q1. What is Martin Luther King Jr. High School known for?

Ans. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School is known for strong academics, competitive athletics, and a broad range of student programs.

Q2. Which extracurricular activities stand out at Martin Luther King Jr. High School?

Ans. Football, track and field, band, debate and leadership organizations are well known throughout the school community.

Q3. How do students challenge themselves academically?

Ans. Students can pursue AP classes, dual enrollment, and advanced coursework in mathematics, science, and humanities.

Q4. What leadership and service opportunities are available for students?

Ans. Student government, honor societies, service clubs, and mentoring programs all help students become active members of the school.

Q5. What attracts many families to Martin Luther King Jr. High School?

Ans. Many families value the school’s academic reputation, the range of extracurricular activities and the strong sense of community.

Games & Extracurricular Activities

Sports

Soccer Club Grades 1-3 | Mon/Wed 3:30-4:30pm
Basketball Grades 2-4 | Tue/Thu 3:30-4:45pm
Track & Field Grades 3-5 | Fri 3:30-5:00pm

Arts

Art Club Grades K-2 | Mon 3:00-4:00pm
Drama Club Grades 3-5 | Wed 3:30-5:00pm
Choir Grades 2-5 | Thu 3:15-4:15pm

Clubs

Chess Club Grades 2-5 | Fri 3:15-4:15pm
Garden Club All Grades | Tue 3:15-4:00pm
Robotics Club Grades 3-5 | Thu 3:30-5:00pm

Note: Schedules may change during school holidays. Please contact School for exact Schedule.

Summer Suggested Reading

Horn Book Selections

Vocabulary.com +3 Horn Book +3 What to Read to Your Kids +3

ML

Maggie Lou, Firefox

by Arnolda Dufour Bowes

PS

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

MLV

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

by Nicholas Day

Vocabulary.com Top Picks

Penguin Random House +10 Vocabulary.com +10 Wikipedia +10

F

Frindle

by Andrew Clements

WR

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

JGP

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Penguin Random House Features

Horn Book +2 Penguin Random House +2 The Guardian +2

SLB

The Secret Language of Birds

by Lynne Kelly

S

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

Free Robotics and Stem In-person Workshop in Your Neighbourhood for 7-14 Years Tech Enthusiasts.

Local kids are transforming ideas into real-world.

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What Parents Say