Middlesboro Independent operates 5 public schools serving 1,120 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 other, 1 high, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 1,168 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Bell County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,224 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 18.6% local, 44.6% state, and 36.7% 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 $69,314 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 81/100, ranked #14 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 163.5:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 43.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 77.0% White, 14.3% African American, 1.7% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.
Middlesboro Elementary School accounts for 44.0% of all Middlesboro Independent student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Middlesboro Independent-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. 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.
Middlesboro Independent school enrollment varies 257× across entities
Middlesboro Independent school enrollment ranges from 2 students (lowest) to 514 students (highest), a spread of 512 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.
Middlesboro Independent has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 79.3% 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 — including this one — 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.
Middlesboro Independent student-counselor ratio is 164:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)
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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.
Middlesboro Independent chronic absenteeism rate is 43.9% — 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.
Middlesboro Independent has 5 schools, including 3 other, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,120 students.
How much does Middlesboro Independent spend per student?
Middlesboro Independent spends $18,224 per student. The district has an equity score of 81/100, ranking #14 in Kentucky.
What is the average teacher salary in Middlesboro Independent?
The average teacher salary in Middlesboro Independent is $69,314 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Middlesboro Independent?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Bell County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Middlesboro Independent?
Middlesboro Independent students are 77.0% White, 14.3% African American, 1.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Middlesboro Independent?
Middlesboro Independent has an equity score of 81/100, ranking #14 out of 171 districts in Kentucky. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.