Fayette County Schools & Education
Fayette County, Kentucky
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
58/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
88.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
88.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,810
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,894
School Score
58/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 57/100
State Score Position
#59
of 120 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Fayette County
Measured School Summary
Fayette County performs at an average level with a school score of 58/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.0%.
Funding Context
Fayette County spends $8,810 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 1% above the Kentucky average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 5.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 28% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Fayette 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
80 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
58/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #59 of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data.
Completion
88.0%
5.8 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,810
$1,916 above the state average
School coverage
80
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
Fayette County has 80 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 Fayette 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.
Dominant-district county
Fayette County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 80 of 80 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#59
of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with 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.
Fayette County
Elementary to high school visible
41,376 students
79 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Fayette County is the largest listed district slice, with 80 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 Fayette 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?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Fayette 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.
Lexington's Massive Urban School Network
Fayette County operates a robust system of 80 public schools catering to 41,422 students. The landscape features 41 elementary schools and 20 high schools, making it one of the largest educational infrastructures in the state. This single-district system serves a diverse student body across a primarily urban environment.
The Power of Fayette County Schools
Fayette County is the sole district, managing all 41,422 students and 80 individual school sites. Charter schools are not present, meaning 100% of the public options are traditional district-run facilities. This central management oversees massive campuses like Lafayette High School, which alone enrolls over 2,400 students.
Urban Living and Large Campuses
With 78 of its 80 schools located in city settings, Fayette County offers a truly metropolitan educational experience. Large-scale high schools dominate the landscape, with Henry Clay and Paul Laurence Dunbar both exceeding 1,900 students. The average school size of 567 reflects the high-density nature of this central Kentucky hub.
School Overview
Total Schools
80
in Fayette County
Reported Enrollment
41,422
80 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Fayette County
80 Public Schools in Fayette County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 9 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 80 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette High School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40503City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,432 |
| Henry Clay High School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40502City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,031 |
| Paul Laurence Dunbar High School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40513City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,946 |
| Bryan Station High School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40505City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,893 |
| Tates Creek High School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40517City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,734 |
| Frederick Douglass High School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40509City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,667 |
| Edythe Jones Hayes Middle School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40509City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 1,081 |
| Jessie M Clark Middle School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40503City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 1,044 |
| Leestown Middle School | Profile | Fayette County | Lexington, 40511City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 966 |
| Beaumont Middle School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40504City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 843 |
| Bryan Station Middle School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40505City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 815 |
| Winburn Middle School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40511City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 800 |
| Southern Middle School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40517City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 772 |
| Tates Creek Middle School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40517City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 769 |
| Garrett Morgan Elementary | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40509City: Large | KG–5 | Primary | 756 |
| Crawford Middle School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40505City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 751 |
| Liberty Elementary | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40509City: Large | KG–5 | Primary | 722 |
| Sandersville Elementary | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40511City: Large | PK–5 | Primary | 721 |
| Rosa Parks Elementary School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40513City: Large | KG–5 | Primary | 706 |
| Morton Middle School | Record | Fayette County | Lexington, 40502City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 705 |
Lafayette High School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40503 / City: Large
Henry Clay High School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40502 / City: Large
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40513 / City: Large
Bryan Station High School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40505 / City: Large
Tates Creek High School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40517 / City: Large
Frederick Douglass High School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40509 / City: Large
Edythe Jones Hayes Middle School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40509 / City: Large
Jessie M Clark Middle School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40503 / City: Large
Leestown Middle School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40511 / City: Large
Rosa Parks Elementary School
Fayette County
Lexington, 40513 / City: Large
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,810
State avg $6,894
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Fayette 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 Fayette County?
What is the graduation rate in Fayette County?
How much does Fayette County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Fayette County, Kentucky — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Fayette County, Kentucky?
Fayette County operates a robust system of 80 public schools catering to 41,422 students. The landscape features 41 elementary schools and 20 high schools, making it one of the largest educational infrastructures in the state. This single-district system serves a diverse student body across a primarily urban environment.
What are the major school districts in Fayette County, Kentucky?
Fayette County is the sole district, managing all 41,422 students and 80 individual school sites. Charter schools are not present, meaning 100% of the public options are traditional district-run facilities. This central management oversees massive campuses like Lafayette High School, which alone enrolls over 2,400 students.
What is the school experience like in Fayette County?
With 78 of its 80 schools located in city settings, Fayette County offers a truly metropolitan educational experience. Large-scale high schools dominate the landscape, with Henry Clay and Paul Laurence Dunbar both exceeding 1,900 students. The average school size of 567 reflects the high-density nature of this central Kentucky hub.
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.