Powell County Schools & Education
Powell County, Kentucky
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
26/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
87.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
87.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,167
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,894
School Score
26/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 57/100
State Score Position
#118
of 120 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Powell County
Measured School Summary
Powell County faces educational challenges with a school score of 26/100 and a graduation rate of 87.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,167 per pupil, Powell County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 55% below the Kentucky average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 6.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 11% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Powell 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
6 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
26/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #118 of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data.
Completion
87.0%
6.8 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,167
$727 below the state average
School coverage
6
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Powell County has 6 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 Powell 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
Powell 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
#118
of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data. The county score is 31 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.
Powell County
Elementary to high school visible
2,130 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Powell County is the largest listed district slice, with 6 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 Powell 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?
Data Story
Powell County Composite School Score Trails State and National Norms
Education data brief for Powell County, Kentucky.
Powell County reports a composite school score of 25.6, a figure significantly lower than the Kentucky state average of 56.7 and the national median of 50.0. The county's 2,130 students are served by a single school district, Powell County, which operates six schools. This directory includes three elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools, with the largest being Powell County High School at 651 students. The county’s graduation rate of 87.0% matches the national average but falls short of the Kentucky state average of 93.8%. Funding for these schools is recorded at $6,167 per pupil, which is approximately $727 less than the state average and less than half of the national average of $13,000. The school mix is evenly split between rural and town locales, with no charter schools present. School data is a starting point for research, not a verdict on schools or neighborhoods. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Powell County
Reported Enrollment
2,130
6 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Powell County
Powell County
6 Public Schools in Powell 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 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell County High School | Record | Powell County | Stanton, 40380Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 651 |
| Powell County Middle School | Record | Powell County | Stanton, 40380Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 462 |
| Clay City Elementary School | Record | Powell County | Clay City, 40312Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 442 |
| Stanton Elementary School | Record | Powell County | Stanton, 40380Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 339 |
| Bowen Elementary School | Record | Powell County | Stanton, 40380Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 225 |
| Powell County Academy | Record | Powell County | Stanton, 40380Town: Distant | 6–12 | Alternative | 11 |
Clay City Elementary School
Powell County
Clay City, 40312 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,167
State avg $6,894
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Powell 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 Powell County?
What is the graduation rate in Powell County?
How much does Powell County spend per student?
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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.