Lewis 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Vanceburg, Kentucky - 6 schools

An equity score of 69/100 ranks Lewis County #39 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,940 per pupil, Lewis County ranks #89 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,036
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$13,940
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lewis County operates 6 public schools serving 2,036 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Lewis County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,940 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 14.3% local, 66.6% state, and 19.1% 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 69/100, ranked #39 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.

a 286.6:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 36.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 96.2% White, 0.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Tollesboro Elementary School, with a diversity index of 11.3/100.

Its largest campus is Lewis County High School, enrolling 568 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Laurel Elementary School, at 70 students, a 8x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Lewis County High School accounts for 27.9% of all Lewis County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Lewis County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lewis County school enrollment varies 8.1× across entities

Lewis County school enrollment ranges from 70 students (lowest) to 568 students (highest), a spread of 498 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Lewis County reports 71.0% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lewis County student-counselor ratio is 287:1 — 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 Lewis County is typically wider than the Lewis County-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lewis County chronic absenteeism rate is 36.4% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

19.1%
Federal
66.6%
State
14.3%
Local

Funding Equity

69
Equity Score
39 / 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 Lewis County.

White 96.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%
Multiracial 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 7.3/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Tollesboro Elementary School 11.3
  2. 2 Lewis County High School 10.2
  3. 3 Lewis County Central Elementary School 7.6
  4. 4 Garrison Elementary School 7.4
  5. 5 Lewis County Middle School 4.7

Programs & Resources

286.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Lewis County

School Enrollment
Lewis County High School
568
Lewis County Central Elementary School
466
Garrison Elementary School
292
Lewis County Middle School
290
Tollesboro Elementary School
256
Laurel Elementary School
70

How Lewis County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Carroll County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Jackson County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Magoffin County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Union County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Henry County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Lewis 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 · $18,189/pupil
Compare vs Lewis County →
Fayette County
41,422 students · 80 schools · $18,318/pupil
Compare vs Lewis County →
Boone County
20,200 students · 28 schools · $13,925/pupil
Compare vs Lewis County →
Warren County
17,799 students · 34 schools · $12,051/pupil
Compare vs Lewis County →
Hardin County
14,675 students · 26 schools · $13,734/pupil
Compare vs Lewis County →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Lewis 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 Lewis County?

Lewis County has 6 schools, including 1 high, 4 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,036 students.

How much does Lewis County spend per student?

Lewis County spends $13,940 per student. The district has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #39 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Lewis County?

Lewis County students are 96.2% White, 0.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lewis County?

Lewis County has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #39 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.