Enrollment
868
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Elizabethtown, KY
John Hardin High School
Federal NCES profile for John Hardin High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210249001910
👥 S:T ratio 36
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Hardin High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #17 of 17
- public schools in Elizabethtown · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 48.2%
- free-lunch eligible
John Hardin High School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Hardin High School ranks #17 of 17 public schools in Elizabethtown, KY.
School address
District: Hardin County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210249001910 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
54.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.2%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Hardin High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Hardin High School
John Hardin High School is a large high school in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, enrolling 868 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 91% of state schools at 868 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 278 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #155.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and African American (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 434 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 234 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 868 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 41 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Elizabethtown's high schools, it stands alongside Elizabethtown High School (757 students): John Hardin High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 16.8:1).
Hardin County also operates Central Hardin High School (1,831 students) and North Hardin High School (1,593 students) alongside John Hardin 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 John Hardin High School compares
John Hardin 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.2% | ▼ 19% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 868 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
868
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 65% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.2%
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
$11,904
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 434 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
158
in-school suspensions + 76 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 41 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 56.8%
African American 17.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
Two or More 10.4%
Asian 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 56.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.0, John Hardin High School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hardin County, which includes John Hardin High School.
$11,904
Per student
-10%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.3%
State 53.0%
Federal 17.7%
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 John Hardin High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Hardin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hardin High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hardin Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Trail Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| G C Burkhead Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Hardin High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,831
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,593
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 775
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 653
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools in Elizabethtown
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 (~868 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Hardin High School's federal record.
- Compare John Hardin High School against another school. Compare schools
- Hardin 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 John Hardin High School
How many students attend John Hardin High School?
John Hardin High School has 868 students enrolled. It is a high school in Elizabethtown, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Hardin High School?
The student-teacher ratio at John Hardin High School is 16.1:1, which is 6% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Hardin High School?
48.2% of students at John Hardin High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Hardin High School?
The largest demographic group at John Hardin High School is White at 56.8% of enrollment, in Elizabethtown, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Hardin High School?
John Hardin High School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 John Hardin High School rank among public schools in Elizabethtown?
By Resource Investment Index, John Hardin High School ranks #17 of 17 public schools in Elizabethtown, 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 Elizabethtown on the city page.
Is John Hardin High School a good school?
John Hardin High School earns 44/100 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 Hardin County?
Besides John Hardin High School, Hardin County also operates Central Hardin High School (1,831 students), North Hardin High School (1,593 students), and East Hardin Middle School (775 students). See the Hardin 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.