Meade County

Brandenburg, Kentucky — 10 schools

4,966
Total Enrollment
10
Schools
$11,983
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Meade County operates 10 public schools serving 4,966 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 3 other, 2 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 4,930 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Meade County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,983 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 22.6% local, 60.1% state, and 17.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $53,323 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 17/100, ranked #166 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 10 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 460.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 32.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.4% White, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American across the district's schools.

Meade County High School accounts for 30.7% of all Meade County student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Meade 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

Meade County school enrollment varies 168× across entities

Meade County school enrollment ranges from 9 students (lowest) to 1,512 students (highest), a spread of 1,503 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

Meade County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 50.6% 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

Meade County student-counselor ratio is 461:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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

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

Meade County chronic absenteeism rate is 32.9% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

17.3%
Federal
60.1%
State
22.6%
Local

Funding Equity

17
Equity Score
166 / 171
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Meade County county, where this district is located.

$814
Studio/mo
$819
1 BR/mo
$1,075
2 BR/mo
$1,463
3 BR/mo
$1,680
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$53,323
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 10 schools in Meade County.

White 85.4%
Hispanic or Latino 6.1%
African American 1.5%
Multiracial 6.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 10
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
460.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
32.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Meade County

School Enrollment
Meade County High School
1,512
Barry Hahn Primary School
807
Stuart Pepper Middle School
702
David T. Wilson Elementary
529
Flaherty Primary School
403
Ekron Elementary School
365
Flaherty Elementary School
299
Payneville Elementary School
265
James R. Allen High School
39
Brandenburg High School
9

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 · $19,590/pupil
Compare vs Meade County →
Fayette County
41,422 students · 80 schools · $17,525/pupil
Compare vs Meade County →
Boone County
20,200 students · 28 schools · $14,519/pupil
Compare vs Meade County →
Warren County
17,799 students · 34 schools · $13,452/pupil
Compare vs Meade County →
Hardin County
14,675 students · 26 schools · $13,705/pupil
Compare vs Meade County →

Compare Meade 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 Meade County?

Meade County has 10 schools, including 2 high, 3 other, 1 middle, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 4,966 students.

How much does Meade County spend per student?

Meade County spends $11,983 per student. The district has an equity score of 17/100, ranking #166 in Kentucky.

What is the average teacher salary in Meade County?

The average teacher salary in Meade County is $53,323 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Meade County?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Meade County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Meade County?

Meade County students are 85.4% White, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 10 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Meade County?

Meade County has an equity score of 17/100, ranking #166 out of 171 districts in Kentucky. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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