Washington 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.

Springfield, Kentucky - 5 schools

An equity score of 32/100 ranks Washington County #136 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,598 per pupil, Washington County ranks #101 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,776
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$12,598
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Washington County operates 5 public schools serving 1,776 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 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 Washington County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,598 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 25.8% local, 49.3% state, and 24.8% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 32/100, ranked #136 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 (9 AP courses district-wide), a 443.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 16.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 77.2% White, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Washington County Elementary School, with a diversity index of 55.0/100.

Its largest campus is North Washington Elementary School, enrolling 536 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Commander Academy, at 46 students, a 12x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

North Washington Elementary School accounts for 30.2% of all Washington County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Washington County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Washington County school enrollment varies 12× across entities

Washington County school enrollment ranges from 46 students (lowest) to 536 students (highest), a spread of 490 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

Washington County has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 57.0% 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

Washington County student-counselor ratio is 444:1 — 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

Washington County chronic absenteeism rate is 16.6% — 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 Washington County is typically wider than the Washington 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?

24.8%
Federal
49.3%
State
25.8%
Local

Funding Equity

32
Equity Score
136 / 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 Washington County.

White 77.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
African American 6.9%
Multiracial 6.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 36.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Washington County Elementary School 55.0
  2. 2 Washington County Middle School 48.7
  3. 3 Washington County High School 29.8
  4. 4 North Washington Elementary School 14.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
9 AP courses total
443.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Washington County

School Enrollment
North Washington Elementary School
536
Washington County High School
507
Washington County Elementary School
473
Washington County Middle School
214
Commander Academy
46

How Washington County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Monroe County Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Martin County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Owen County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Danville Independent Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Murray Independent Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Washington 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 Washington County?

Washington County has 5 schools, including 3 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,776 students.

How much does Washington County spend per student?

Washington County spends $12,598 per student. The district has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #136 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Washington County?

Washington County students are 77.2% White, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Washington County?

Washington County has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #136 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.