Enrollment
150
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bardstown, KY
Nelson County Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Nelson County Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210441002261
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nelson County Early Learning Center earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Kentucky schools.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Bardstown · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 37.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Nelson County Early Learning Center has class sizes larger than 73% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson County Early Learning Center ranks #3 of 4 schools in Bardstown, KY.
School address
District: Nelson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210441002261 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.6%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nelson County Early Learning Center compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nelson County Early Learning Center
Nelson County Early Learning Center is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Bardstown, Kentucky, enrolling 150 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 37.6% free-meal eligibility runs 36% below the Kentucky average.
Enrollment of 150 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Among Bardstown's public schools, it stands alongside Bardstown Early Childhood Center (263 students): Nelson County Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 21.9:1).
Nelson County also operates Nelson County High School (756 students) and Thomas Nelson High School (629 students) alongside Nelson County Early Learning Center.
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 Nelson County Early Learning Center compares
Nelson County Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.7:1 | ▲ 10% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.6% | ▼ 36% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 150 | top 83% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
150
Bigger than 15% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 73% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$12,705
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 84.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.7%
Two or More 5.3%
African American 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 84.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.5, Nelson County Early Learning Center is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Nelson County, which includes Nelson County Early Learning Center.
$12,705
Per student
-4%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.7%
State 41.6%
Federal 14.7%
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 Nelson County Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Nelson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Old Kentucky Home Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Foster Heights Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Coxs Creek Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nelson County Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 629
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 594
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 474
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Bardstown
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~150 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nelson County Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Nelson County Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Nelson 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 Nelson County Early Learning Center
How many students attend Nelson County Early Learning Center?
Nelson County Early Learning Center has 150 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bardstown, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nelson County Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Nelson County Early Learning Center is 16.7:1, which is 10% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Nelson County Early Learning Center?
37.6% of students at Nelson County Early Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nelson County Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Nelson County Early Learning Center is White at 84.7% of enrollment, in Bardstown, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nelson County Early Learning Center?
Nelson County Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Nelson County Early Learning Center rank among schools in Bardstown?
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson County Early Learning Center ranks #3 of 4 schools in Bardstown, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bardstown on the city page.
Is Nelson County Early Learning Center a good school?
Nelson County Early Learning Center earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of 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 Nelson County?
Besides Nelson County Early Learning Center, Nelson County also operates Nelson County High School (756 students), Thomas Nelson High School (629 students), and Old Kentucky Home Middle School (594 students). See the Nelson 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.