Bourbon 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.

Paris, Kentucky - 6 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Bourbon County #102 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,882 per pupil, Bourbon County ranks #81 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,674
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$12,882
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bourbon County operates 6 public schools serving 2,674 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 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 Bourbon County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,882 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 27.4% local, 46.9% state, and 25.7% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 42/100, ranked #102 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 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 302.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.2% White, 17.1% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Bourbon County Preschool Headstart, with a diversity index of 49.1/100.

Its largest campus is Bourbon County High School, enrolling 764 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is North Middletown Elementary School, at 128 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Bourbon County High School accounts for 28.6% of all Bourbon County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Bourbon 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

Bourbon County school enrollment varies 6.0× across entities

Bourbon County school enrollment ranges from 128 students (lowest) to 764 students (highest), a spread of 636 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.

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

Bourbon County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 61.2% 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

Bourbon County student-counselor ratio is 302:1 — 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 Bourbon County is typically wider than the Bourbon County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Bourbon County chronic absenteeism rate is 22.9% — 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 Bourbon County is typically wider than the Bourbon 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?

25.7%
Federal
46.9%
State
27.4%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
102 / 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 6 schools in Bourbon County.

White 76.2%
Hispanic or Latino 17.1%
African American 2.3%
Multiracial 4.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 38.1/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Bourbon County Preschool Headstart 49.1
  2. 2 Bourbon County High School 43.3
  3. 3 Bourbon Central Elementary School 43.1
  4. 4 Bourbon County Middle School 38.3
  5. 5 Cane Ridge Elementary School 32.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
302.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Bourbon County

School Enrollment
Bourbon County High School
764
Bourbon County Middle School
555
Bourbon Central Elementary School
459
Cane Ridge Elementary School
453
Bourbon County Preschool Headstart
198
North Middletown Elementary School
128

How Bourbon County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Greenup County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mccreary County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Bardstown Independent Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mercer County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Adair County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Bourbon 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 Bourbon County →
Fayette County
41,422 students · 80 schools · $15,849/pupil
Compare vs Bourbon County →
Boone County
20,200 students · 28 schools · $12,899/pupil
Compare vs Bourbon County →
Warren County
17,799 students · 34 schools · $11,423/pupil
Compare vs Bourbon County →
Hardin County
14,675 students · 26 schools · $11,904/pupil
Compare vs Bourbon County →

Compare Bourbon 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 Bourbon County?

Bourbon County has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 2,674 students.

How much does Bourbon County spend per student?

Bourbon County spends $12,882 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #102 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Bourbon County?

Bourbon County students are 76.2% White, 17.1% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bourbon County?

Bourbon County has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #102 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.