Spencer County

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.

Taylorsville, Kentucky - 6 schools

An equity score of 9/100 ranks Spencer County #168 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,199 per pupil, Spencer County ranks #168 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,369
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$11,199
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Spencer County operates 6 public schools serving 3,369 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Spencer County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,199 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 18 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kentucky compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 32.3% local, 53.2% state, and 14.6% 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 9/100, ranked #168 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (10 AP courses district-wide), a 661.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 89.9% White, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Hillview Academy, with a diversity index of 27.0/100.

Its largest campus is Spencer County High School, enrolling 986 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Hillview Academy, at 53 students, a 19x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Spencer County High School accounts for 29.3% of all Spencer County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Spencer County-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

Spencer County school enrollment varies 19× across entities

Spencer County school enrollment ranges from 53 students (lowest) to 986 students (highest), a spread of 933 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.

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

Spencer County student-counselor ratio is 661:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Spencer County chronic absenteeism rate is 24.1% — 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 Spencer County is typically wider than the Spencer County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

14.6%
Federal
53.2%
State
32.3%
Local

Funding Equity

9
Equity Score
168 / 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 6 schools in Spencer County.

White 89.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
African American 0.9%
Multiracial 4.2%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 18.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Hillview Academy 27.0
  2. 2 Spencer County High School 20.5
  3. 3 Spencer County Elementary School 19.7
  4. 4 Spencer County Middle School 18.5
  5. 5 Taylorsville Elementary School 16.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
10 AP courses total
661.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Spencer County

School Enrollment
Spencer County High School
986
Spencer County Elementary School
801
Spencer County Middle School
690
Taylorsville Elementary School
661
Spencer County Early Learning Center
150
Hillview Academy
53

How Spencer County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Johnson County Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Lincoln County Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Rowan County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Logan County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Grant County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Spencer County'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 Spencer County →
Fayette County
41,422 students · 80 schools · $15,849/pupil
Compare vs Spencer County →
Boone County
20,200 students · 28 schools · $12,899/pupil
Compare vs Spencer County →
Warren County
17,799 students · 34 schools · $11,423/pupil
Compare vs Spencer County →
Hardin County
14,675 students · 26 schools · $11,904/pupil
Compare vs Spencer County →

Compare Spencer County

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 Spencer County?

Spencer County has 6 schools, including 1 high, 4 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 3,369 students.

How much does Spencer County spend per student?

Spencer County spends $11,199 per student. The district has an equity score of 9/100, ranking #168 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Spencer County?

Spencer County students are 89.9% White, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Spencer County?

Spencer County has an equity score of 9/100, ranking #168 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.