Enrollment
1,466
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Louisville, KY
Atherton High
Federal NCES profile for Atherton High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210299000632
👥 S:T ratio 27
📚 AP courses 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Atherton High earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #6 of 18
- high schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.3:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 35.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Atherton High has class sizes larger than 86% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Atherton High ranks #6 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000632 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
80.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.9%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Atherton High compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Atherton High
Atherton High is a large high school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 1,466 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.3:1 is larger than about 86% of Kentucky schools and 20% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 35.9% free-meal eligibility runs 39% below the Kentucky average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,466 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 59 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #18.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 56/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 8 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 293 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 318 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,466 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 9 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Louisville's high schools, it stands alongside Ballard High (2,148 students): Atherton High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.3:1 vs 19.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Atherton High.
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 Atherton High compares
Atherton High on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.3:1 | ▲ 20% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.9% | ▼ 39% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,466 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,466
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 86% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.3%
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
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 293 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
208
in-school suspensions + 110 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 expulsions.
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 62.9%
African American 18.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 3.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 62.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.8, Atherton High is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Atherton High.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 Atherton High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Atherton High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar high schools in Louisville
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Ballard High
Standard public school
2,148 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Dupont Manual High
Standard public school
1,899 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Pleasure Ridge Park High
Standard public school
1,777 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Louisville Male High
Standard public school
1,763 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Southern High
Standard public school
1,725 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Fern Creek High
Standard public school
1,525 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,466 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Atherton High's federal record.
- Compare Atherton High against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson 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 Atherton High
How many students attend Atherton High?
Atherton High has 1,466 students enrolled. It is a high school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Atherton High?
The student-teacher ratio at Atherton High is 18.3:1, which is 20% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Atherton High?
35.9% of students at Atherton High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Atherton High?
The largest demographic group at Atherton High is White at 62.9% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Atherton High?
Atherton High has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Atherton High rank among high schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Atherton High ranks #6 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Atherton High a good school?
Atherton High earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky. 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Atherton High, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson 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.