Calloway 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.

Murray, Kentucky - 8 schools

An equity score of 37/100 ranks Calloway County #117 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,991 per pupil, Calloway County ranks #130 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,134
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$11,991
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Calloway County operates 8 public schools serving 3,134 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 3 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 Calloway County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,991 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 32.1% local, 45.6% state, and 22.3% 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 37/100, ranked #117 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 8 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), a 271:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 24.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.9% White, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Calloway County Preschool Center, with a diversity index of 41.6/100.

Its largest campus is Calloway County High School, enrolling 824 students (27% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Calloway County Day Treatment, at 7 students, a 118x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Calloway County High School accounts for 26.3% of all Calloway County student enrollment

That concentration means Calloway 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

Calloway County school enrollment varies 118× across entities

Calloway County school enrollment ranges from 7 students (lowest) to 824 students (highest), a spread of 817 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. 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

Calloway County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.9% 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

Calloway County student-counselor ratio is 271:1 — 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 Calloway County is typically wider than the Calloway County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Calloway County chronic absenteeism rate is 24.6% — 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 Calloway County is typically wider than the Calloway 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?

22.3%
Federal
45.6%
State
32.1%
Local

Funding Equity

37
Equity Score
117 / 171
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 8 schools in Calloway County.

White 84.9%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
African American 2.2%
Multiracial 4.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 26.3/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Calloway County Preschool Center 41.6
  2. 2 North Calloway Elementary School 38.5
  3. 3 Calloway County High School 28.4
  4. 4 Calloway County Middle School 28.0
  5. 5 Calloway County Alternative Program 26.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 8
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
271:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Calloway County

School Enrollment
Calloway County High School
824
Calloway County Middle School
607
North Calloway Elementary School
596
Southwest Calloway Elementary School
399
East Calloway Elementary School
310
Calloway County Preschool Center
167
Calloway County Alternative Program
110
Calloway County Day Treatment
7

How Calloway County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

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

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

Compare Calloway 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 Calloway County?

Calloway County has 8 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 3,134 students.

How much does Calloway County spend per student?

Calloway County spends $11,991 per student. The district has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #117 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Calloway County?

Calloway County students are 84.9% White, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Calloway County?

Calloway County has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #117 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.