Paducah Public Schools

Listed by NCES as Paducah Independent (district ID 2104650)

Public school district · McCracken County · Kentucky · NCES district ID 2104650

Paducah Public Schools spent $15,048 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 82% of the other Kentucky districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $13,912). Its 7 schools enrolled 3,103 students in 2024-25; 36.4% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $15,298 per student, up 1.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 87% (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 Paducah Public Schools in enrollment (3,005 to 3,256 students) and Paducah Public Schools itself.

Current spending per student, Kentucky districts closest in size to Paducah Public Schools, FY23Boyd County Public Schools District $16,486; Paducah Public Schools $15,048; Russell County Schools $13,881; Simpson County $13,543; Wayne County $13,466; Marion County Public Schools $13,327; Calloway County Schools $13,190; Fort Thomas Independent $12,975; Allen County Schools $12,352; Corbin Schools $12,165; State median, 1,000+ students $13,912.10k12k14k16k18kBoyd County Public Schools Dis…$16,486Paducah Public Schools$15,048Russell County Schools$13,881Simpson County$13,543Wayne County$13,466Marion County Public Schools$13,327Calloway County Schools$13,190Fort Thomas Independent$12,975Allen County Schools$12,352Corbin Schools$12,165State median, 1,000+ students $13,912
Current spending per student, Kentucky districts closest in size to Paducah Public Schools, FY23Boyd County Public Schools District $16,486; Paducah Public Schools $15,048; Russell County Schools $13,881; Simpson County $13,543; Wayne County $13,466; Marion County Public Schools $13,327; Calloway County Schools $13,190; Fort Thomas Independent $12,975; Allen County Schools $12,352; Corbin Schools $12,165; State median, 1,000+ students $13,912.10k12k14k16k18kBoyd County Public Schools District$16,486Paducah Public Schools$15,048Russell County Schools$13,881Simpson County$13,543Wayne County$13,466Marion County Public Schools$13,327Calloway County Schools$13,190Fort Thomas Independent$12,975Allen County Schools$12,352Corbin Schools$12,165State median, 1,000+ students $13,912
Current spending per student, Kentucky districts closest in size to Paducah Public Schools, FY23Boyd County Public Schools District $16,486; Paducah Public Schools $15,048; Russell County Schools $13,881; Simpson County $13,543; Wayne County $13,466; Marion County Public Schools $13,327; Calloway County Schools $13,190; Fort Thomas Independent $12,975; Allen County Schools $12,352; Corbin Schools $12,165; State median, 1,000+ students $13,912.10k14k18kBoyd County Public Schools District$16,486Paducah Public Schools$15,048Russell County Schools$13,881Simpson County$13,543Wayne County$13,466Marion County Public Schools$13,327Calloway County Schools$13,190Fort Thomas Independent$12,975Allen County Schools$12,352Corbin Schools$12,165State median, 1,000+ students $13,912
Current spending per student, Kentucky districts closest in size to Paducah Public Schools, FY23Boyd County Public Schools District $16,486; Paducah Public Schools $15,048; Russell County Schools $13,881; Simpson County $13,543; Wayne County $13,466; Marion County Public Schools $13,327; Calloway County Schools $13,190; Fort Thomas Independent $12,975; Allen County Schools $12,352; Corbin Schools $12,165; State median, 1,000+ students $13,912.10k14k18kBoyd County Public Schools District$16,486Paducah Public Schools$15,048Russell County Schools$13,881Simpson County$13,543Wayne County$13,466Marion County Public Schools$13,327Calloway County Schools$13,190Fort Thomas Independent$12,975Allen County Schools$12,352Corbin Schools$12,165State median, 1,000+ students $13,912

Where the money came from

$72,374,000 in revenue: 36.4% state, 24.8% local and 38.8% federal. Total spending including $23,560,000 of capital outlay was $74,219,000, or $23,796 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.

Paducah Public Schools revenue by source, fiscal year 2022-23State $26,378,000; Local $17,927,000; Federal $28,069,000; total $72,374,000.
  • State$26,378,000 36%
  • Local$17,927,000 25%
  • Federal$28,069,000 39%

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 held steady from 2022-23 to 2024-25

3,119 students in 2022-23, 3,065 students in 2023-24, 3,103 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.

Paducah Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,119, 2023-24: 3,065, 2024-25: 3,10301k2k3k4k2022-233,1192023-243,0652024-253,103
Paducah Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,119, 2023-24: 3,065, 2024-25: 3,10301k2k3k4k2022-233,1192023-243,0652024-253,103
Paducah Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,119, 2023-24: 3,065, 2024-25: 3,10301k2k3k4k2022-233,1192023-243,0652024-253,103
Paducah Public Schools enrollment by school year2022-23: 3,119, 2023-24: 3,065, 2024-25: 3,10301k2k3k4k2022-233,1192023-243,0652024-253,103

Teachers and students per teacher

School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Per teacher
2022-233,119213.614.6
2023-243,065215.814.2
2024-253,103215.914.4

Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.

$12,717,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,077 per student

Paducah Public Schools booked $12,717,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 214 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 $59,525 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 76 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).

ProgramTeacher salariesShare
Regular programs$10,800,00084.9%
Special education$1,524,00012.0%
Other programs$393,0003.1%

Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23

The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,467 in 2018-19, $3,351 in 2019-20, $3,557 in 2020-21, $3,959 in 2021-22, $4,077 in 2022-23.

Paducah Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,467, 2019-20: $3,351, 2020-21: $3,557, 2021-22: $3,959, 2022-23: $4,07702k4k6k2018-19$3,4672019-20$3,3512020-21$3,5572021-22$3,9592022-23$4,077
Paducah Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,467, 2019-20: $3,351, 2020-21: $3,557, 2021-22: $3,959, 2022-23: $4,07702k4k6k2018-19$3,4672019-20$3,3512020-21$3,5572021-22$3,9592022-23$4,077
Paducah Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,467, 2019-20: $3,351, 2020-21: $3,557, 2021-22: $3,959, 2022-23: $4,07702k4k6k2018-19$3,4672019-20$3,3512020-21$3,5572021-22$3,9592022-23$4,077
Paducah Public Schools teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,467, 2019-20: $3,351, 2020-21: $3,557, 2021-22: $3,959, 2022-23: $4,07702k4k6k2018-19$3,4672019-20$3,3512020-21$3,5572021-22$3,9592022-23$4,077

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 Paducah Public Schools scored proficient or above: 45% in reading and 33% 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.

Students proficient or above, 2021-22
SubjectThis districtKentuckyStudents tested
Reading and language arts45%44.7%1,511
Math33%37.8%1,512

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

87% of the 247 students in Paducah Public 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.

Four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rate, class of 2023
This districtKentucky
Four-year graduation rate87%91.4%
Students in the class24749,023

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.

3 elementary schools, 1,318 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Clark Elementary School61516.244.7%Schoolwide program
Morgan Elementary School36912.484.8%Schoolwide program
McNabb Elementary School33411.989.8%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.

1 middle school, 632 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Paducah Middle School63215.359.5%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.

1 high school, 860 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Paducah Tilghman High School86015.256.9%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 other schools, 293 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Paducah Head Start Preschool25113.986.1%Not Title I
Choices Educational Center4210.083.3%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 Paducah Public Schools

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 Paducah Public Schools

  1. Kentucky districts by spending per studentPaducah Public Schools ranks 26 of 137 Kentucky districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($15,048).#26 of 137
  2. Every school district in KentuckyPaducah Public Schools is the number 56 by size of 174 Kentucky districts, with 3,119 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#56 of 174
  3. Fort Thomas IndependentThe next larger Kentucky district: 3,127 students in fall 2022, $12,975 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$12,975
  4. Boyd County Public Schools DistrictThe next smaller Kentucky district: 3,102 students in fall 2022, $16,486 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$16,486
  5. Compare Paducah Public Schools with Fort Thomas IndependentEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
  6. Paducah Tilghman High School, its largest high school860 students in 2024-25, 15.2 per teacher.860
  7. Teacher salary spending across KentuckyPaducah Public Schools spent $59,525 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $56,497); spending, not a salary.$59,525
  8. 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 Paducah Public Schools

  1. How many schools and students are in Paducah Public Schools?
    7 schools were open in 2024-25 (3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high, 2 other), enrolling 3,103 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.
  2. How much does Paducah Public Schools spend per student?
    $15,048 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 $15,298 per student, up 1.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).
  3. Where does Paducah Public Schools' money come from?
    $72,374,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 36.4% state, 24.8% local and 38.8% federal (NCES F-33).
  4. How many children in Paducah Public Schools live in poverty?
    The Census Bureau estimates that 770 of the 3,167 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 24.3%, 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.
  5. How much does Paducah Public Schools spend on teacher salaries?
    $12,717,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,077 per student. Divided by the 214 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $59,525 per teacher, more than 76 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).
  6. How do students in Paducah Public Schools do on state tests?
    In 2021-22, the students tested in Paducah Public Schools scored proficient or above: 45% in reading and 33% 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.
  7. What is the graduation rate in Paducah Public Schools?
    87% of the 247 students in Paducah Public 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.
  8. What is Paducah Public Schools' NCES district ID?
    2104650. 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

Compiled from official source data by .