Union 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.

Morganfield, Kentucky - 7 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Union County #103 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,823 per pupil, Union County ranks #47 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,055
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$13,823
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Union County operates 7 public schools serving 2,055 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 2 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 Union County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,823 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kentucky compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 30.2% local, 51.0% state, and 18.8% 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 42/100, ranked #103 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 2 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 279.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 21.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 82.9% White, 7.1% African American, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Union County Preschool and Headstart, with a diversity index of 49.2/100.

Its largest campus is Union County High School, enrolling 642 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Union County Learning Academy, at 71 students, a 9x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Union County High School accounts for 30.8% of all Union County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Union 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

Union County school enrollment varies 9.0× across entities

Union County school enrollment ranges from 71 students (lowest) to 642 students (highest), a spread of 571 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

Union County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 61.8% 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 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.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Union County student-counselor ratio is 280:1 — 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 Union County is typically wider than the Union County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Union County chronic absenteeism rate is 21.8% — 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 Union County is typically wider than the Union 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?

18.8%
Federal
51.0%
State
30.2%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
103 / 171
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Union County.

White 82.9%
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%
African American 7.1%
Multiracial 7.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 28.8/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Union County Preschool and Headstart 49.2
  2. 2 Morganfield Elementary School 46.5
  3. 3 Union County Middle School 26.7
  4. 4 Union County High School 26.4
  5. 5 Uniontown Elementary School 20.4

Programs & Resources

2 / 7
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
279.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Union County

School Enrollment
Union County High School
642
Union County Middle School
413
Sturgis Elementary School
343
Morganfield Elementary School
328
Uniontown Elementary School
199
Union County Preschool and Headstart
90
Union County Learning Academy
71

How Union County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Jackson County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Carroll County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lewis County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Knott County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Magoffin County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Compare Union 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 Union County?

Union County has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 2,055 students.

How much does Union County spend per student?

Union County spends $13,823 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #103 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Union County?

Union County students are 82.9% White, 7.1% African American, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Union County?

Union County has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #103 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.