Barren County

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Glasgow, Kentucky - 11 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Barren County #101 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,517 per pupil, Barren County ranks #107 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,224
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$12,517
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

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 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Barren County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,517 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kentucky compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.8% local, 52.4% state, and 23.8% 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 42/100, ranked #101 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (23 AP courses district-wide), a 329.3:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, 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. Its most demographically mixed campus is Temple Hill Elementary School, with a diversity index of 33.1/100.

Its largest campus is Barren County High School, enrolling 1,220 students (25% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is College Street Campus, at 25 students, a 49x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Barren County High School accounts for 23.4% of all Barren County student enrollment

That concentration 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

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.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

23.8%
Federal
52.4%
State
23.8%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
101 / 171
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in Barren County.

White 88.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
African American 1.8%
Multiracial 3.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 20.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Barren County's schools, below the Kentucky average of 34.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Temple Hill Elementary School 33.1
  2. 2 Bavel 27.1
  3. 3 Park City Elementary School 26.1
  4. 4 Red Cross Elementary School 23.4
  5. 5 Hiseville Elementary School 21.2

Programs & Resources

2 / 11
Schools with AP
23 AP courses total
329.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Barren County

School Enrollment
Barren County High School
1,220
Red Cross Elementary School
679
Barren County Middle School
649
North Jackson Elementary
537
Eastern Elementary School
347
Austin Tracy Elementary School
346
Hiseville Elementary School
322
Park City Elementary School
290
Temple Hill Elementary School
266
Bavel
227
College Street Campus
25

How Barren County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Campbell County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Clark County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Owensboro Independent Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Meade County Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Floyd County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Barren County's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Kentucky

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Jefferson County
95,230 students · 168 schools · $17,376/pupil
Compare vs Barren County →
Fayette County
41,422 students · 80 schools · $15,849/pupil
Compare vs Barren County →
Boone County
20,200 students · 28 schools · $12,899/pupil
Compare vs Barren County →
Warren County
17,799 students · 34 schools · $11,423/pupil
Compare vs Barren County →
Hardin County
14,675 students · 26 schools · $11,904/pupil
Compare vs Barren County →

Compare Barren County

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Jefferson County →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Barren County?

Barren County has 11 schools, including 1 high, 9 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 5,224 students.

How much does Barren County spend per student?

Barren County spends $12,517 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #101 in Kentucky.

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 42/100, ranking #101 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.