schoolsbycounty

Madison County Schools & Education

School Score

53/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

92.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 93.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,733

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,894

School Score

53/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 57/100

State Score Position

#78

of 120 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Madison County

Measured School Summary

Madison County performs at an average level with a school score of 53/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.9%.

Funding Context

At $6,733 per pupil, Madison County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 7% below the Kentucky average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Madison 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

27 public schools and 2 districts 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

53/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #78 of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data.

Completion

92.9%

0.9 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,733

$161 below the state average

School coverage

27

2 districts 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

Madison County has 27 public schools across 2 districts, 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.

Parent decision brief

What Madison 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

Madison County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 23 of 27 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#78

of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data. The county score is 4 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.

Madison County

Elementary to high school visible

11,198 students

Elementary 12Middle 5High 6Other 0

23 listed schools in this county slice.

Berea Independent

Elementary to high school visible

1,086 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Madison County is the largest listed district slice, with 23 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 Madison County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Madison County district systems?

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 Madison 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.

A Growing Educational Hub in Central Kentucky

Madison County supports a robust infrastructure of 27 public schools serving 12,284 students across two distinct districts. The network includes 13 elementary, six middle, and eight high schools, providing a comprehensive pipeline for local families.

Madison County and Berea Independent Districts

The Madison County district is the primary provider with 11,198 students, while Berea Independent serves a smaller community of 1,086. There are currently no charter schools in operation, meaning 100% of the public landscape consists of traditional and alternative district-run schools.

Town-Centered Learning with Rural Reach

Most students attend one of the 19 schools located in town settings, though eight schools serve the county's rural outskirts. Madison Central High School is the largest campus with 2,226 students, contrasting with smaller community-focused elementary schools.

School Overview

Total Schools

27

in Madison County

Reported Enrollment

12,284

27 schools reporting

School Districts

2

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary13
Middle6
High8
Other0

2 School Districts in Madison County

27 Public Schools in Madison County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 27 matching schools

Madison Central High School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High2,226 students

Madison Southern High School

Madison County

Berea, 40403 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High1,210 students

Madison Middle School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle670 students

Kingston Elementary School

Madison County

Berea, 40403 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary618 students

Kirksville Elementary School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary563 students

Clark Moores Middle School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle546 students

Silver Creek Elementary School

Madison County

Berea, 40403 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary512 students

Berea Community Elementary School

Berea Independent

Berea, 40403 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary503 students

B. Michael Caudill Middle School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle479 students

Daniel Boone Elementary School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Town: Distant

Record1–5Primary477 students

Farristown Middle School

Madison County

Berea, 40403 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle466 students

Kit Carson Elementary School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Town: Distant

Record1–5Primary466 students

Shannon Johnson Elementary School

Madison County

Berea, 40403 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary466 students

Foley Middle School

Madison County

Berea, 40403 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle445 students

Waco Elementary School

Madison County

Waco, 40385 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary428 students

Glenn R Marshall Elementary School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Rural: Fringe

Record1–5Primary420 students

Boonesborough Elementary

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary418 students

Madison Kindergarten Academy

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–KGPrimary385 students

White Hall Elementary School

Madison County

Richmond, 40475 / Town: Distant

Record1–5Primary379 students

Berea Community High School

Berea Independent

Berea, 40403 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High353 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,733

State avg $6,894

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Madison County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Kentucky counties have the highest graduation rates?
Rockcastle County (99.0%), Taylor County (98.5%), and Carter County (98.0%) currently lead Kentucky among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Kentucky?
Across Kentucky counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,894. The highest current county values are Wolfe County ($9,307), Fayette County ($8,810), and Jefferson County ($8,382). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Madison County?
Madison County has a school score of 53/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Madison County?
The high school graduation rate in Madison County is 92.9%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Madison County spend per student?
Madison County spends $6,733 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Madison County, Kentucky — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Madison County, Kentucky?

Madison County supports a robust infrastructure of 27 public schools serving 12,284 students across two distinct districts. The network includes 13 elementary, six middle, and eight high schools, providing a comprehensive pipeline for local families.

What are the major school districts in Madison County, Kentucky?

The Madison County district is the primary provider with 11,198 students, while Berea Independent serves a smaller community of 1,086. There are currently no charter schools in operation, meaning 100% of the public landscape consists of traditional and alternative district-run schools.

What is the school experience like in Madison County?

Most students attend one of the 19 schools located in town settings, though eight schools serve the county's rural outskirts. Madison Central High School is the largest campus with 2,226 students, contrasting with smaller community-focused elementary schools.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.