Enrollment
661
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Henderson, KY
Henderson County South Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Henderson County South Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 210271000585
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Henderson County South Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median.
- #8 of 11
- public schools in Henderson · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 42.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Henderson County South Middle School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Henderson County South Middle School ranks #8 of 11 public schools in Henderson, KY.
School address
District: Henderson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210271000585 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.7%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Henderson County South Middle School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Henderson County South Middle School
Henderson County South Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Henderson, Kentucky, enrolling 661 students.
At 14.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kentucky median, within a few percentage points of the 15.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 661 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 316 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #104.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and African American (9%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 331 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 20.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 276 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 661 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Henderson's middle schools, it stands alongside Henderson County North Middle School (670 students): Henderson County South Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.4:1 vs 14.3:1).
Henderson County also operates Henderson County High School (1,852 students) and Henderson County North Middle School (670 students) alongside Henderson County South Middle School.
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 Henderson County South Middle School compares
Henderson County South Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▼ 5% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.7% | ▼ 28% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 661 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
661
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 41% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.2%
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
$12,593
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 331 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
135
in-school suspensions + 141 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 41.8 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 74.9%
African American 9.2%
Two or More 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 74.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.0, Henderson County South Middle School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Henderson County, which includes Henderson County South Middle School.
$12,593
Per student
-5%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.6%
State 51.9%
Federal 20.6%
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 Henderson County South Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Henderson County North Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Spottsville Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bend Gate Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Heights Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Henderson County South Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,852
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 670
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 514
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar middle schools in Henderson
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~661 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Henderson County South Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Henderson County South Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Henderson 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 Henderson County South Middle School
How many students attend Henderson County South Middle School?
Henderson County South Middle School has 661 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Henderson, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Henderson County South Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Henderson County South Middle School is 14.4:1, which is 5% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 8% 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 Henderson County South Middle School?
42.7% of students at Henderson County South Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Henderson County South Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Henderson County South Middle School is White at 74.9% of enrollment, in Henderson, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Henderson County South Middle School?
Henderson County South Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Henderson County South Middle School rank among public schools in Henderson?
By Resource Investment Index, Henderson County South Middle School ranks #8 of 11 public schools in Henderson, 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 Henderson on the city page.
Is Henderson County South Middle School a good school?
Henderson County South Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. 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 Henderson County?
Besides Henderson County South Middle School, Henderson County also operates Henderson County High School (1,852 students), Henderson County North Middle School (670 students), and Spottsville Elementary School (514 students). See the Henderson 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.