Enrollment
2,148
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Louisville, KY
Ballard High
Federal NCES profile for Ballard High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210299000695
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ballard High earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #16 of 18
- high schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.9:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 31.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Ballard High has class sizes larger than 93% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ballard High ranks #16 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000695 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
108.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.9:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.5%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ballard High compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ballard High
Ballard High is a large high school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 2,148 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.9:1 is larger than about 93% of Kentucky schools and 31% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 31.5% free-meal eligibility runs 47% below the Kentucky average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,148 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 1,389 Kentucky schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 31 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #27, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and African American (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 24 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 537 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.8% 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: 478 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 2,148 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Louisville's high schools, it stands alongside Dupont Manual High (1,899 students): Ballard High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.9:1 vs 17.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students) alongside Ballard 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 Ballard High compares
Ballard 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 | 19.9:1 | ▲ 31% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.5% | ▼ 47% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,148 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,148
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 93% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.8%
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 537 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
335
in-school suspensions + 143 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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 49.6%
African American 25.0%
Hispanic or Latino 11.8%
Asian 6.8%
Two or More 6.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 49.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Ballard High is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 24
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Ballard 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 Ballard High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dupont Manual High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Similar size | 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Louisville Male High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ballard High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 1,763
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Louisville
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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
Atherton High
Standard public school
1,466 students 18.3:1 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 (~2,148 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ballard High's federal record.
- Compare Ballard 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 Ballard High
How many students attend Ballard High?
Ballard High has 2,148 students enrolled. It is a high school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ballard High?
The student-teacher ratio at Ballard High is 19.9:1, which is 31% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ballard High?
31.5% of students at Ballard High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ballard High?
The largest demographic group at Ballard High is White at 49.6% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ballard High?
Ballard High has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Ballard High rank among high schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Ballard High ranks #16 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 Ballard High a good school?
Ballard High earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Ballard High, Jefferson County also operates Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students), and Eastern High (1,790 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.