Enrollment
756
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Bardstown, KY
Nelson County High School
Federal NCES profile for Nelson County High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210441001096
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nelson County High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Kentucky schools.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Bardstown · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.4:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 40.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Nelson County High School has class sizes larger than 94% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson County High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Bardstown, KY.
School address
District: Nelson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210441001096 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.2%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nelson County High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nelson County High School
Nelson County High School is a large high school in Bardstown, Kentucky, enrolling 756 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.4:1 is larger than about 94% of Kentucky schools and 34% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 40.2% free-meal eligibility runs 32% below the Kentucky average.
Enrollment of 756 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 245 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #217, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 378 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 368 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 756 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 Bardstown's high schools, it stands alongside Bardstown High School (703 students): Nelson County High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.4:1 vs 18:1).
Nelson County also operates Thomas Nelson High School (629 students) and Old Kentucky Home Middle School (594 students) alongside Nelson County 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 Nelson County High School compares
Nelson County 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 | 20.4:1 | ▲ 34% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.2% | ▼ 32% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 756 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
756
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 34% above state mean
Top 94% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.5%
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
$12,705
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 378 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
365
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 48.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 48.7 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 88.6%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
Two or More 3.2%
African American 1.9%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 88.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.0, Nelson County High School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Nelson County, which includes Nelson County High School.
$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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Nelson High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Old Kentucky Home Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Foster Heights Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Coxs Creek Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bloomfield Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nelson County High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 296
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar high schools in Bardstown
2 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 (~756 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nelson County High School's federal record.
- Compare Nelson County High School 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 High School
How many students attend Nelson County High School?
Nelson County High School has 756 students enrolled. It is a high school in Bardstown, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nelson County High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nelson County High School is 20.4:1, which is 34% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 30% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Nelson County High School?
40.2% of students at Nelson County High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nelson County High School?
The largest demographic group at Nelson County High School is White at 88.6% of enrollment, in Bardstown, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nelson County High School?
Nelson County High School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Nelson County High School rank among high schools in Bardstown?
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson County High School ranks #3 of 3 high 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 high schools in Bardstown on the city page.
Is Nelson County High School a good school?
Nelson County High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 High School, Nelson County also operates Thomas Nelson High School (629 students), Old Kentucky Home Middle School (594 students), and Foster Heights Elementary School (588 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.