Enrollment
32
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Shelbyville, KY
Ascension Academy
Federal NCES profile for Ascension Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210532001690
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ascension Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #9 of 11
- public schools in Shelbyville · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8:1
- small classes for Kentucky
- 77.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ascension Academy has class sizes smaller than 94% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ascension Academy ranks #9 of 11 public schools in Shelbyville, KY.
School address
District: Shelby County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210532001690 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-47% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.8%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ascension Academy compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ascension Academy
Ascension Academy is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Shelbyville, Kentucky, enrolling 32 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8:1, Ascension Academy is leaner than roughly 94% of Kentucky schools and 47% under the state's 15.2:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 77.8% of students qualify for free meals, 31% above the Kentucky average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 92% of Kentucky schools, with 32 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 33 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #29, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 27 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 32 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Shelbyville's public schools, it stands alongside Northside Early Childhood Center (228 students): Ascension Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8:1 vs 28.5:1).
Shelby County also operates Martha Layne Collins High School (1,157 students) and Shelby County High School (1,003 students) alongside Ascension Academy.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Ascension Academy compares
Ascension Academy on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8:1 | ▼ 47% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.8% | ▲ 31% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 32 | top 92% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
32
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8:1
students per teacher
- 47% below state mean
Top 6% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
53.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,646
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 31.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 84.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 53.1%
African American 18.8%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%
Two or More 9.4%
Largest group: White at 53.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.9, Ascension Academy is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shelby County, which includes Ascension Academy.
$12,646
Per student
-4%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.0%
State 44.0%
Federal 16.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Ascension Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Layne Collins High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shelby County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marnel C. Moorman School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shelby County West Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shelby County East Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ascension Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,157
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,003
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 803
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Shelbyville
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~32 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ascension Academy's federal record.
- Compare Ascension Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Shelby County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Ascension Academy
How many students attend Ascension Academy?
Ascension Academy has 32 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Shelbyville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ascension Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Ascension Academy is 8:1, which is 47% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 49% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ascension Academy?
77.8% of students at Ascension Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ascension Academy?
The largest demographic group at Ascension Academy is White at 53.1% of enrollment, in Shelbyville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ascension Academy?
Ascension Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ascension Academy rank among public schools in Shelbyville?
By Resource Investment Index, Ascension Academy ranks #9 of 11 public schools in Shelbyville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Shelbyville on the city page.
Is Ascension Academy a good school?
Ascension Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Kentucky schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Shelby County?
Besides Ascension Academy, Shelby County also operates Martha Layne Collins High School (1,157 students), Shelby County High School (1,003 students), and Marnel C. Moorman School (803 students). See the Shelby County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.