The Nelson County Schools
Listed by NCES as Nelson County (district ID 2104410)
Public school district · Nelson County · Kentucky · NCES district ID 2104410
The Nelson County Schools spent $14,451 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 74% of the other Kentucky districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $13,912). Its 11 schools enrolled 4,163 students in 2024-25; 48.8% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $15,226 per student, up 5.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 96% (Kentucky: 91.4%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among Kentucky districts of similar size
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to The Nelson County Schools in enrollment (4,010 to 4,966 students) and The Nelson County Schools itself.
Where the money came from
$84,463,000 in revenue: 48.8% state, 40.4% local and 10.9% federal. Total spending including $2,317,000 of capital outlay was $69,263,000, or $15,354 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$41,204,000 49%
- Local$34,091,000 40%
- Federal$9,168,000 11%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 137 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
4,420 students in 2022-23, 4,329 students in 2023-24, 4,163 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 4,420 | 271.0 | 16.3 |
| 2023-24 | 4,329 | 280.0 | 15.5 |
| 2024-25 | 4,163 | 268.0 | 15.5 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$17,380,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $3,853 per student
The Nelson County Schools booked $17,380,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 271 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $64,133 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 91 in 100 Kentucky districts with a figure (state median $56,497, 171 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Kentucky teacher salary at $54,574 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $12,151,000 | 69.9% |
| Special education | $3,608,000 | 20.8% |
| Vocational | $921,000 | 5.3% |
| Other programs | $700,000 | 4.0% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,001 in 2018-19, $3,160 in 2019-20, $3,479 in 2020-21, $3,542 in 2021-22, $3,853 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in The Nelson County Schools scored proficient or above: 30% in reading and 24% in math, against 44.7% in reading and 37.8% in math across Kentucky. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Kentucky, not across states.
| Subject | This district | Kentucky | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 30% | 44.7% | 2,308 |
| Math | 24% | 37.8% | 2,308 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
96% of the 359 students in The Nelson County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 91.4% across Kentucky. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 96% | 91.4% |
| Students in the class | 359 | 49,023 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
5 elementary schools, 1,700 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foster Heights Elementary School | 588 | 13.7 | 48.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Coxs Creek Elementary School | 474 | 13.2 | 40.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Boston School | 251 | 14.8 | 50.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Bloomfield Elementary School | 225 | 12.5 | 72.0% | Schoolwide program |
| The New Haven School | 162 | 10.8 | 67.9% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
2 middle schools, 890 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Kentucky Home Middle School | 594 | 19.2 | 41.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Bloomfield Middle School | 296 | 17.4 | 42.6% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
2 high schools, 1,385 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County High School | 756 | 16.2 | 44.7% | Schoolwide program |
| Thomas Nelson High School | 629 | 19.4 | 37.7% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
2 other schools, 188 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County Early Learning Center | 150 | 39.5 | 44.0% | Not Title I |
| The Academy at Horizons | 38 | 4.8 | 73.7% | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact The Nelson County Schools
- Website: nelson.kyschools.us
- Phone: (502) 349-7000
- Office: 288 Wildcat Ln, Bardstown, KY 40004
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about The Nelson County Schools
- Kentucky districts by spending per studentThe Nelson County Schools ranks 37 of 137 Kentucky districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($14,451).#37 of 137
- Every school district in KentuckyThe Nelson County Schools is the number 28 by size of 174 Kentucky districts, with 4,511 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#28 of 174
- Meade County SchoolsThe next larger Kentucky district: 4,966 students in fall 2022, $11,339 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$11,339
- Marshall County SchoolsThe next smaller Kentucky district: 4,495 students in fall 2022, $14,559 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$14,559
- Compare The Nelson County Schools with Meade County SchoolsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Nelson County High School, its largest high school756 students in 2024-25, 16.2 per teacher.756
- Teacher salary spending across KentuckyThe Nelson County Schools spent $64,133 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $56,497); spending, not a salary.$64,133
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about The Nelson County Schools
How many schools and students are in The Nelson County Schools?
11 schools were open in 2024-25 (5 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 2 other), enrolling 4,163 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does The Nelson County Schools spend per student?
$14,451 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Kentucky median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $13,912 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $15,226 per student, up 5.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does The Nelson County Schools' money come from?
$84,463,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 48.8% state, 40.4% local and 10.9% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in The Nelson County Schools live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 682 of the 5,821 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 11.7%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does The Nelson County Schools spend on teacher salaries?
$17,380,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $3,853 per student. Divided by the 271 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $64,133 per teacher, more than 91 in 100 Kentucky districts (state median $56,497). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Kentucky teacher salary at $54,574 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in The Nelson County Schools do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in The Nelson County Schools scored proficient or above: 30% in reading and 24% in math, against 44.7% in reading and 37.8% in math across Kentucky. Kentucky's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in The Nelson County Schools?
96% of the 359 students in The Nelson County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 91.4% across Kentucky. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is The Nelson County Schools' NCES district ID?
2104410. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25