Enrollment
855
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Covington, KY
Holmes High School
Federal NCES profile for Holmes High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210135002049
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Holmes High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #8 of 13
- public schools in Covington · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 80.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Holmes High School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Holmes High School ranks #8 of 13 public schools in Covington, KY.
School address
District: Covington Independent · Kentucky
NCES ID 210135002049 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.2%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Holmes High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Holmes High School
Holmes High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Covington, Kentucky, enrolling 855 students.
At 14.7:1, 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 is high: 80.2% of students qualify for free meals, 35% above the Kentucky average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 91% of state schools at 855 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 96 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 222 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 423 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 855 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Covington's high schools, it stands alongside Covington Adult High School (7 students): Holmes High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.7:1 vs 2.3:1).
Covington Independent also operates Holmes Middle School (631 students) and Sixth District Elementary School (454 students) alongside Holmes High 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 Holmes High School compares
Holmes High 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.2% | ▲ 35% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 855 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
855
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
80.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 46% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.1%
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
$15,667
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.8 FTE
Per 222 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
237
in-school suspensions + 186 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 49.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 34.7%
Hispanic or Latino 31.7%
African American 21.5%
Two or More 10.5%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 34.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.2, Holmes High School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Covington Independent, which includes Holmes High School.
$15,667
Per student
+19%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.6%
State 47.0%
Federal 23.4%
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 Holmes High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sixth District Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glenn O Swing Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John G Carlisle Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ninth District Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Holmes High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 454
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 392
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 324
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar high schools in Covington
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~855 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Holmes High School's federal record.
- Compare Holmes High School against another school. Compare schools
- Covington Independent'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 Holmes High School
How many students attend Holmes High School?
Holmes High School has 855 students enrolled. It is a high school in Covington, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Holmes High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Holmes High School is 14.7:1, which is 3% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 6% 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 Holmes High School?
80.2% of students at Holmes High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Holmes High School?
The largest demographic group at Holmes High School is White at 34.7% of enrollment, in Covington, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Holmes High School?
Holmes High School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Holmes High School rank among public schools in Covington?
By Resource Investment Index, Holmes High School ranks #8 of 13 public schools in Covington, 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 Covington on the city page.
Is Holmes High School a good school?
Holmes High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. 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 Covington Independent?
Besides Holmes High School, Covington Independent also operates Holmes Middle School (631 students), Sixth District Elementary School (454 students), and Glenn O Swing Elementary (392 students). See the Covington Independent 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.