Can I use Shelby County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Shelby County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Shelby County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Shelby County?

Start with the 15 listed public schools and 1 district entry, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Shelby County Schools & Education

Name: Shelby County, Kentucky Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Shelby County, Kentucky

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

School Score

35/100

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

$6,928

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,894

School Score

35/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 57/100

State Score Position

#113

of 120 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Shelby County

Measured School Summary

Shelby County faces educational challenges with a school score of 35/100 and a graduation rate of 87.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,928 per pupil, Shelby County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 39% below the Kentucky average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 6.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Shelby 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

15 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

35/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #113 of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data.

Completion

87.0%

6.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,928

roughly matches the state average

School coverage

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

Shelby County has 15 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Shelby 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

Shelby County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 14 of 15 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#113

of 120 Kentucky counties with school score data. The county score is 22 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.

Shelby County

Elementary to high school visible

6,935 students

Elementary 7Middle 2High 3Other 2

14 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Shelby 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 Shelby 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 Shelby 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.

Shelby County's Growing Education Network

Shelby County supports a diverse population of 6,935 students across 15 public schools. The landscape features seven elementary schools and four high schools, all managed by a single district. This network provides a stable foundation for the county's growing suburban and town populations.

Single District Management for All Schools

The Shelby County school district manages all 6,935 students and 14 primary school locations. Charter schools do not currently operate in the county, leaving traditional public schools as the sole provider of state-funded education. This allows the district to maintain a specialized focus on its specific regional needs.

A Blend of Town and Rural Learning

Schools in Shelby County are predominantly located in town settings, though five campuses retain a rural character. Martha Layne Collins High School is the largest campus with 1,174 students, while the average school size is a manageable 533 students. This balance offers families the choice between larger secondary schools and more intimate primary environments.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Shelby County

Reported Enrollment

6,935

15 schools reporting

School Districts

district

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary7

Middle2

High4

Other2

1 School District in Shelby County

Shelby County

Guide

14 schools

6,935 students enrolled

Open district guide

15 Public Schools in Shelby 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

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 15 of 15 matching schools

Public schools in Shelby County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Martha Layne Collins High School	Profile	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,174
Shelby County High School	Profile	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	9–12	High	994
Marnel C. Moorman School	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Rural: Fringe	KG–8	Primary	765
Shelby County West Middle School	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	600
Shelby County East Middle School	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	552
Wright Elementary	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	457
Painted Stone Elementary	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	446
Clear Creek Elementary	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	431
Heritage Elementary	Record	Shelby County	Waddy, 40076Rural: Distant	KG–5	Primary	431
Simpsonville Elementary	Record	Shelby County	Simpsonville, 40067Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	430
Southside Elementary	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	423
Northside Early Childhood Center	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	PK	Other	205
Ascension Academy	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	7–12	Alternative	27
Shelby County Area Technology Center	Record	Kentucky Tech System	Shelbyville, 40065Town: Distant	8–12	Vocational	0
Shelby County Summer School	Record	Shelby County	Shelbyville, 40066Town: Distant	KG–12	Other	0

Martha Layne Collins High School

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,174 students

Shelby County High School

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High994 students

Marnel C. Moorman School

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–8Primary765 students

Shelby County West Middle School

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle600 students

Shelby County East Middle School

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle552 students

Wright Elementary

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary457 students

Painted Stone Elementary

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary446 students

Clear Creek Elementary

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary431 students

Heritage Elementary

Shelby County

Waddy, 40076 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary431 students

Simpsonville Elementary

Shelby County

Simpsonville, 40067 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary430 students

Southside Elementary

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary423 students

Northside Early Childhood Center

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

RecordPKOther205 students

Ascension Academy

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

Record7–12Alternative27 students

Shelby County Area Technology Center

Kentucky Tech System

Shelbyville, 40065 / Town: Distant

Record8–12Vocational0 students

Shelby County Summer School

Shelby County

Shelbyville, 40066 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–12Other0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,928

State avg $6,894

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Shelby 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 Shelby County?

Shelby County has a school score of 35/100, which is a lower 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 Shelby County?

The high school graduation rate in Shelby County is 87.0%, which is below 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 Shelby County spend per student?

Shelby County spends $6,928 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 Shelby County, Kentucky — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Shelby County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Clay County

Kentucky

-0 pts

35/100

School score

Hardin County

Kentucky

-1 pts

34/100

School score

Nicholas County

Kentucky

-1 pts

34/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed 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.

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