Russell Independent

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Flatwoods, Kentucky - 5 schools

An equity score of 39/100 ranks Russell Independent #109 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,697 per pupil, Russell Independent ranks #96 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,132
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$12,697
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Russell Independent operates 5 public schools serving 2,132 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Greenup County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,697 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kentucky compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 29.1% local, 54.7% state, and 16.2% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 39/100, ranked #109 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (14 AP courses district-wide), a 394.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 17.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.0% White, 2.9% African American, 1.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Russell Primary School, with a diversity index of 18.5/100.

Its largest campus is Russell High School, enrolling 615 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Russell Independent Alternative School, at 14 students, a 44x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Russell High School accounts for 28.8% of all Russell Independent student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Russell 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Russell Independent school enrollment varies 44× across entities

Russell Independent school enrollment ranges from 14 students (lowest) to 615 students (highest), a spread of 601 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

Russell Independent student-counselor ratio is 394:1 — 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

Russell Independent chronic absenteeism rate is 17.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Russell Independent is typically wider than the Russell Independent-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.2%
Federal
54.7%
State
29.1%
Local

Funding Equity

39
Equity Score
109 / 171
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Russell Independent.

White 91.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%
African American 2.9%
Asian 1.4%
Multiracial 3.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 16.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Russell Independent's schools, below the Kentucky average of 34.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Russell Primary School 18.5
  2. 2 Russell-Mcdowell Intermediate School 18.2
  3. 3 Russell Middle School 17.7
  4. 4 Russell High School 16.6
  5. 5 Russell Independent Alternative School 13.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
14 AP courses total
394.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Russell Independent

School Enrollment
Russell High School
615
Russell Primary School
494
Russell Middle School
488
Russell-Mcdowell Intermediate School
442
Russell Independent Alternative School
14

How Russell Independent Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Powell County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Webster County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Knott County Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Fleming County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Butler County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Russell Independent's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

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 · $17,376/pupil
Compare vs Russell Independent →
Fayette County
41,422 students · 80 schools · $15,849/pupil
Compare vs Russell Independent →
Boone County
20,200 students · 28 schools · $12,899/pupil
Compare vs Russell Independent →
Warren County
17,799 students · 34 schools · $11,423/pupil
Compare vs Russell Independent →
Hardin County
14,675 students · 26 schools · $11,904/pupil
Compare vs Russell Independent →

Compare Russell Independent

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 Russell Independent?

Russell Independent has 5 schools, including 1 high, 2 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,132 students.

How much does Russell Independent spend per student?

Russell Independent spends $12,697 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #109 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Russell Independent?

Russell Independent students are 91.0% White, 2.9% African American, 1.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Russell Independent?

Russell Independent has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #109 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.