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Barlow, Kentucky - 4 schools
An equity score of 47/100 ranks Ballard County #95 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,058 per pupil, Ballard County ranks #73 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
1,052
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$13,058
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Ballard County operates 4 public schools serving 1,052 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Ballard County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,058 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kentucky compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 30.3% local, 54.4% state, and 15.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 47/100, ranked #95 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 307.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.1% White, 3.0% African American, 2.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Ballard Co. Preschool/Headstart Center, with a diversity index of 36.3/100.
Ballard County Elementary School accounts for 42.2% of all Ballard County student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Ballard County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Ballard County school enrollment varies 4.8× across entities
Ballard County school enrollment ranges from 93 students (lowest) to 444 students (highest), a spread of 351 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Ballard County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 56.6% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Ballard County student-counselor ratio is 307:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Ballard County is typically wider than the Ballard County-aggregate figure suggests.
Ballard County chronic absenteeism rate is 27.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Ballard County is typically wider than the Ballard County-aggregate figure suggests.
Ballard County has 4 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 1,052 students.
How much does Ballard County spend per student?
Ballard County spends $13,058 per student. The district has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #95 in Kentucky.
What is the demographic composition of Ballard County?
Ballard County students are 85.1% White, 3.0% African American, 2.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Ballard County?
Ballard County has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #95 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.