Paducah Independent operates 7 public schools serving 3,119 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 2 other, 1 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 3,103 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in McCracken County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,277 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 29.0% local, 44.9% state, and 26.1% 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 $71,032 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 71/100, ranked #33 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (18 AP courses district-wide), a 286.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 32.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 45.3% African American, 32.5% White, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.
Paducah Tilghman High School accounts for 27.7% of all Paducah Independent student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Paducah Independent-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.
Paducah Independent school enrollment varies 20× across entities
Paducah Independent school enrollment ranges from 42 students (lowest) to 860 students (highest), a spread of 818 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.
Paducah Independent has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 76.1% 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.
Paducah Independent student-counselor ratio is 286:1 — 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 Paducah Independent is typically wider than the Paducah Independent-aggregate figure suggests.
Paducah Independent chronic absenteeism rate is 32.1% — 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.
Paducah Independent has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 2 other. Total enrollment is 3,119 students.
How much does Paducah Independent spend per student?
Paducah Independent spends $18,277 per student. The district has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #33 in Kentucky.
What is the average teacher salary in Paducah Independent?
The average teacher salary in Paducah Independent is $71,032 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Paducah Independent?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in McCracken County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Paducah Independent?
Paducah Independent students are 45.3% African American, 32.5% White, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Paducah Independent?
Paducah Independent has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #33 out of 171 districts in Kentucky. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.