Barren County operates 11 public schools serving 5,224 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 9 other, 1 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 4,908 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Barren County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,161 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 23.8% local, 52.4% state, and 23.8% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $64,947 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 48/100, ranked #90 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (23 AP courses district-wide), a 329.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 21.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.7% White, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% African American across the district's schools.
Barren County High School accounts for 24.9% of all Barren County student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Barren County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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.
Barren County school enrollment varies 49× across entities
Barren County school enrollment ranges from 25 students (lowest) to 1,220 students (highest), a spread of 1,195 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Barren County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 54.2% 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.
Barren County student-counselor ratio is 329:1 — 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 Barren County is typically wider than the Barren County-aggregate figure suggests.
Barren County chronic absenteeism rate is 21.7% — 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 Barren County is typically wider than the Barren County-aggregate figure suggests.
Barren County has 11 schools, including 1 high, 9 other, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 5,224 students.
How much does Barren County spend per student?
Barren County spends $15,161 per student. The district has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #90 in Kentucky.
What is the average teacher salary in Barren County?
The average teacher salary in Barren County is $64,947 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Barren County?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Barren County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Barren County?
Barren County students are 88.7% White, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Barren County?
Barren County has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #90 out of 171 districts in Kentucky. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.