schoolsbycounty

Pulaski County Schools & Education

School Score

66/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

97.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

97.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 93.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,808

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,894

School Score

66/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 57/100

State Score Position

#30

of 120 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Pulaski County

Measured School Summary

Pulaski County performs at an average level with a school score of 66/100 and a solid graduation rate of 97.8%.

Funding Context

At $6,808 per pupil, Pulaski County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 16% above the Kentucky average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Pulaski 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

19 public schools and 3 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

66/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #30 of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data.

Completion

97.8%

4.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,808

$86 below the state average

School coverage

19

3 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

Pulaski County has 19 public schools across 3 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 Pulaski 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

Pulaski County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 14 of 19 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#30

of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points above 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.

Pulaski County

Elementary to high school visible

8,115 students

Elementary 9Middle 2High 3Other 0

14 listed schools in this county slice.

Somerset Independent

Elementary to high school visible

1,615 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Science Hill Independent

Elementary school only in this slice

476 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Pulaski County is the largest listed district slice, with 14 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 Pulaski County?

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

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 Pulaski 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 Major Educational Hub in Pulaski

Pulaski County hosts 19 public schools serving a large student population of 10,206. The infrastructure is distributed across 11 elementary, three middle, and five high schools. Three distinct school districts operate within the county, offering families multiple educational paths.

Three Districts Serving the Community

Pulaski County is the largest district, educating 8,115 students across 14 schools. Somerset Independent serves 1,615 students, while Science Hill Independent operates a single school with 476 students. No charter schools exist in the county, maintaining a focus on traditional public education.

Substantial Campus Sizes and Town Locales

Most schools are located in town settings, with 11 town-based campuses and eight rural ones. The average school size is quite large at 567 students, led by Southwestern High School with 1,265 students. Even elementary schools like Southern Elementary are sizeable, enrolling 655 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

19

in Pulaski County

Reported Enrollment

10,206

19 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary11
Middle3
High5
Other0

3 School Districts in Pulaski County

Pulaski County

Guide
14 schools
8,115 students
Open district guide

Somerset Independent

3 schools
1,615 students

Science Hill Independent

1 school
476 students

19 Public Schools in Pulaski County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Level

Showing 19 of 19 matching schools

Southwestern High School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,265 students

Pulaski County High School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Town: Remote

Profile9–12High1,209 students

Southern Middle School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42501 / Town: Remote

Profile6–8Middle941 students

Northern Middle School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle846 students

Southern Elementary School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42501 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary655 students

Hopkins Elementary School

Somerset Independent

Somerset, 42501 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary650 students

Pulaski Elementary School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary540 students

Oak Hill Elementary School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary526 students

Somerset High School

Somerset Independent

Somerset, 42501 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High521 students

Science Hill Elementary School

Science Hill Independent

Science Hill, 42553 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Primary476 students

Meece Middle School

Somerset Independent

Somerset, 42501 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle444 students

Burnside Elementary School

Pulaski County

Burnside, 42519 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary432 students

Eubank Elementary School

Pulaski County

Eubank, 42567 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary368 students

Northern Elementary School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary360 students

Shopville Elementary School

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary352 students

Nancy Elementary School

Pulaski County

Nancy, 42544 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary317 students

Memorial Education Center

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–KGPrimary269 students

Eagle Academy

Pulaski County

Somerset, 42503 / Town: Remote

Record6–12Alternative35 students

Pulaski County Area Technology Center

Kentucky Tech System

Somerset, 42501 / Town: Remote

Record8–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,808

State avg $6,894

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Pulaski 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 Pulaski County?
Pulaski County has a school score of 66/100, 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 Pulaski County?
The high school graduation rate in Pulaski County is 97.8%, 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 Pulaski County spend per student?
Pulaski County spends $6,808 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 Pulaski County, Kentucky — FAQ

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

Pulaski County hosts 19 public schools serving a large student population of 10,206. The infrastructure is distributed across 11 elementary, three middle, and five high schools. Three distinct school districts operate within the county, offering families multiple educational paths.

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

Pulaski County is the largest district, educating 8,115 students across 14 schools. Somerset Independent serves 1,615 students, while Science Hill Independent operates a single school with 476 students. No charter schools exist in the county, maintaining a focus on traditional public education.

What is the school experience like in Pulaski County?

Most schools are located in town settings, with 11 town-based campuses and eight rural ones. The average school size is quite large at 567 students, led by Southwestern High School with 1,265 students. Even elementary schools like Southern Elementary are sizeable, enrolling 655 students.

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.