Boyd 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.

Ashland, Kentucky - 9 schools

An equity score of 80/100 ranks Boyd County #16 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,922 per pupil, Boyd County ranks #8 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,102
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$15,922
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Boyd County operates 9 public schools serving 3,102 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 3 elementary, 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 Boyd County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,922 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 18 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kentucky compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 28.0% local, 50.2% state, and 21.8% 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 80/100, ranked #16 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (16 AP courses district-wide), a 264.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 29.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 93.3% White, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Catlettsburg Elementary School, with a diversity index of 18.2/100.

Its largest campus is Boyd County High School, enrolling 888 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Boyd County Central School, at 18 students, a 49x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

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

That dominant concentration means Boyd 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

Boyd County school enrollment varies 49× across entities

Boyd County school enrollment ranges from 18 students (lowest) to 888 students (highest), a spread of 870 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

Boyd County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.8% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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

Boyd County student-counselor ratio is 264:1 — 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 Boyd County is typically wider than the Boyd County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Boyd County chronic absenteeism rate is 29.8% — 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 Boyd County is typically wider than the Boyd 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?

21.8%
Federal
50.2%
State
28.0%
Local

Funding Equity

80
Equity Score
16 / 171
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in Boyd County.

White 93.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1.6%
African American 1.5%
Multiracial 3.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 12.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Catlettsburg Elementary School 18.2
  2. 2 Cannonsburg Elementary School 17.2
  3. 3 Ponderosa Elementary School 12.8
  4. 4 Boyd County Middle School 11.7
  5. 5 Boyd Co Early Childhood Academy 10.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
16 AP courses total
264.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Boyd County

School Enrollment
Boyd County High School
888
Boyd County Middle School
618
Summit Elementary School
425
Ponderosa Elementary School
359
Cannonsburg Elementary School
272
Boyd Co Early Childhood Academy
230
Catlettsburg Elementary School
184
Ramey-Estep High School
39
Boyd County Central School
18

How Boyd County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Simpson County Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Paducah Independent Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Fort Thomas Independent Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Calloway County Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Allen County Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Boyd 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 Boyd County?

Boyd County has 9 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 4 combined. Total enrollment is 3,102 students.

How much does Boyd County spend per student?

Boyd County spends $15,922 per student. The district has an equity score of 80/100, ranking #16 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Boyd County?

Boyd County students are 93.3% White, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Boyd County?

Boyd County has an equity score of 80/100, ranking #16 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.