Enrollment
584
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Louisville, KY
Mcferran Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Mcferran Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210299000764
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mcferran Preparatory Academy earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median.
- #38 of 68
- schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 81.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Mcferran Preparatory Academy has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mcferran Preparatory Academy ranks #38 of 68 schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000764 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.9%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mcferran Preparatory Academy compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mcferran Preparatory Academy
Mcferran Preparatory Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 584 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 81.9% of students qualify for free meals, 38% above the Kentucky average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 584 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 179 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #45.
Its student body is led by African American (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 195 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.0% 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.
Among Louisville's public schools, it stands alongside Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students): Mcferran Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 14.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Mcferran Preparatory Academy.
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 Mcferran Preparatory Academy compares
Mcferran Preparatory Academy on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.9% | ▲ 38% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 584 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
584
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 38% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.0%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 195 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
African American 78.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
White 5.1%
Two or More 3.3%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 78.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.8, Mcferran Preparatory Academy is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Mcferran Preparatory Academy.
$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 Mcferran Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mcferran Preparatory Academy'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 other schools in Louisville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Marion C. Moore School
Standard public school
1,892 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
The Academy @ Shawnee
Standard public school
1,051 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Pathfinder School of Innovation
Alternative education program
918 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
J. Graham Brown School
Standard public school
800 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Tully Elementary
Standard public school
791 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Stopher Elementary
Standard public school
781 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~584 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mcferran Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Mcferran Preparatory Academy 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 Mcferran Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Mcferran Preparatory Academy?
Mcferran Preparatory Academy has 584 students enrolled. It is a public school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mcferran Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Mcferran Preparatory Academy is 14.2:1, which is 7% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 10% 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 Mcferran Preparatory Academy?
81.9% of students at Mcferran Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mcferran Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Mcferran Preparatory Academy is African American at 78.4% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mcferran Preparatory Academy?
Mcferran Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Mcferran Preparatory Academy rank among schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Mcferran Preparatory Academy ranks #38 of 68 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 schools in Louisville on the city page.
Is Mcferran Preparatory Academy a good school?
Mcferran Preparatory Academy earns 44/100 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Mcferran Preparatory Academy, 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.