Ballard County Schools & Education
Ballard County, Kentucky
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
42/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,075
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,894
School Score
42/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 57/100
State Score Position
#108
of 120 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Ballard County
Measured School Summary
Ballard County performs at an average level with a school score of 42/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.0%.
Funding Context
At $6,075 per pupil, Ballard County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 27% below the Kentucky average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Ballard County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
5 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
42/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #108 of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data.
Completion
92.0%
1.8 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,075
$819 below the state average
School coverage
5
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Ballard County has 5 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Ballard County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Small-system county
Ballard County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#108
of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data. The county score is 15 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Ballard County
Elementary to high school visible
1,052 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Ballard County is the largest listed district slice, with 5 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Ballard County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Ballard County, Kentucky
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Personalized Education in Ballard County
Ballard County serves a total of 1,052 students within a compact system of five public schools. The infrastructure includes one elementary, one middle, and two high schools, managed by a single local district. This smaller scale allows for a highly personalized approach to public education in Western Kentucky.
The Unified Ballard County District
All 1,052 public school students in the county are enrolled in the Ballard County district. There are no charter schools present, meaning the district is the primary architect of the local academic experience. This creates a cohesive community where every student follows a similar educational trajectory.
A Small-Scale Rural School Setting
The entire school system is rural, with an average school size of just 263 students. Ballard County Elementary is the largest campus with 467 students, while Ballard Memorial High School provides a small-school atmosphere for its 260 students. This environment fosters close relationships between staff and families.
School Overview
Total Schools
5
in Ballard County
Reported Enrollment
1,052
5 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Ballard County
Ballard County
5 Public Schools in Ballard County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 5 of 5 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard County Elementary School | Record | Ballard County | Barlow, 42024Rural: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 467 |
| Ballard Memorial High School | Record | Ballard County | Barlow, 42024Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 260 |
| Ballard County Middle School | Record | Ballard County | Barlow, 42024Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 215 |
| Ballard Co. Preschool/Headstart Center | Record | Ballard County | Barlow, 42024Rural: Remote | PK | Other | 110 |
| Ballard County Career and Technology Ctr | Record | Ballard County | Barlow, 42024Rural: Remote | 9–12 | Vocational | 0 |
Ballard County Elementary School
Ballard County
Barlow, 42024 / Rural: Remote
Ballard Co. Preschool/Headstart Center
Ballard County
Barlow, 42024 / Rural: Remote
Ballard County Career and Technology Ctr
Ballard County
Barlow, 42024 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,075
State avg $6,894
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Ballard County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Kentucky counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Kentucky?
How should I read the school score in Ballard County?
What is the graduation rate in Ballard County?
How much does Ballard County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Ballard County, Kentucky — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Ballard County, Kentucky?
Ballard County serves a total of 1,052 students within a compact system of five public schools. The infrastructure includes one elementary, one middle, and two high schools, managed by a single local district. This smaller scale allows for a highly personalized approach to public education in Western Kentucky.
What are the major school districts in Ballard County, Kentucky?
All 1,052 public school students in the county are enrolled in the Ballard County district. There are no charter schools present, meaning the district is the primary architect of the local academic experience. This creates a cohesive community where every student follows a similar educational trajectory.
What is the school experience like in Ballard County?
The entire school system is rural, with an average school size of just 263 students. Ballard County Elementary is the largest campus with 467 students, while Ballard Memorial High School provides a small-school atmosphere for its 260 students. This environment fosters close relationships between staff and families.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.