Enrollment
1,342
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Owensboro, KY
Owensboro High School
Federal NCES profile for Owensboro High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210459001136
👥 S:T ratio 38
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Owensboro High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #5 of 6
- high schools in Owensboro · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 55.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Owensboro High School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Owensboro High School ranks #5 of 6 high schools in Owensboro, KY.
School address
District: Owensboro Independent · Kentucky
NCES ID 210459001136 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
87.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.6%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Owensboro High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Owensboro High School
Owensboro High School is a higher-need, large high school in Owensboro, Kentucky, enrolling 1,342 students.
At 15.4:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 55.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,342 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 98 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #64.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 336 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 346 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,342 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 Owensboro's high schools, it stands alongside Daviess County High School (1,750 students): Owensboro High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 19.4:1).
Owensboro Independent also operates Owensboro Middle School (790 students) and Newton Parrish Elementary School (545 students) alongside Owensboro 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 Owensboro High School compares
Owensboro 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 1% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.6% | ▼ 6% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,342 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,342
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 55% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.5%
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
$15,009
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 336 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
215
in-school suspensions + 131 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.8 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 55.7%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
African American 13.2%
Two or More 12.4%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 55.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.2, Owensboro 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 Owensboro Independent, which includes Owensboro High School.
$15,009
Per student
+14%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.0%
State 51.9%
Federal 23.1%
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 Owensboro High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owensboro Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Newton Parrish Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sutton Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Estes Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Foust Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Owensboro High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 545
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 535
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 492
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar high schools in Owensboro
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Daviess County High School
Standard public school
1,750 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Apollo High School
Standard public school
1,265 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Heritage Park High School
Alternative education program
140 students 9.3:1 students per teacher
Emerson Academy
Alternative education program
104 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Valley High School
Alternative education program
16 students 16:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,342 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Owensboro High School's federal record.
- Compare Owensboro High School against another school. Compare schools
- Owensboro 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 Owensboro High School
How many students attend Owensboro High School?
Owensboro High School has 1,342 students enrolled. It is a high school in Owensboro, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Owensboro High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Owensboro High School is 15.4:1, which is 1% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Owensboro High School?
55.6% of students at Owensboro High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Owensboro High School?
The largest demographic group at Owensboro High School is White at 55.7% of enrollment, in Owensboro, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Owensboro High School?
Owensboro High School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Owensboro High School rank among high schools in Owensboro?
By Resource Investment Index, Owensboro High School ranks #5 of 6 high schools in Owensboro, 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 Owensboro on the city page.
Is Owensboro High School a good school?
Owensboro High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky. 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 Owensboro Independent?
Besides Owensboro High School, Owensboro Independent also operates Owensboro Middle School (790 students), Newton Parrish Elementary School (545 students), and Sutton Elementary School (535 students). See the Owensboro 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.