Enrollment
251
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Paducah, KY
Paducah Head Start Preschool
Federal NCES profile for Paducah Head Start Preschool, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210465001571
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paducah Head Start Preschool earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #1 of 7
- schools in Paducah · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 85.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Paducah Head Start Preschool has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paducah Head Start Preschool ranks #1 of 7 schools in Paducah, KY.
School address
District: Paducah Independent · Kentucky
NCES ID 210465001571 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paducah Head Start Preschool compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paducah Head Start Preschool
Paducah Head Start Preschool is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Paducah, Kentucky, enrolling 251 students.
At 15.7:1, 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 is high: 85.0% of students qualify for free meals, 44% above the Kentucky average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 251 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 103 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #14.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and White (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 42 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Paducah's public schools, it stands alongside Concord Elementary School (606 students): Paducah Head Start Preschool is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.7:1 vs 16.8:1).
Paducah Independent also operates Paducah Tilghman High School (860 students) and Paducah Middle School (632 students) alongside Paducah Head Start Preschool.
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 Paducah Head Start Preschool compares
Paducah Head Start Preschool on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.7:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.0% | ▲ 44% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 251 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
251
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 60% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$13,678
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 42 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
African American 47.0%
White 23.5%
Two or More 19.5%
Hispanic or Latino 10.0%
Largest group: African American at 47.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.6, Paducah Head Start Preschool is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paducah Independent, which includes Paducah Head Start Preschool.
$13,678
Per student
+4%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 44.9%
Federal 26.1%
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 Paducah Head Start Preschool Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah Tilghman High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Paducah Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clark Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Morgan Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcnabb Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paducah Head Start Preschool's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 860
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Paducah
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Concord Elementary School
Standard public school
606 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Reidland Elementary School
Standard public school
548 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School
Standard public school
498 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Lone Oak Elementary School
Standard public school
495 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Choices Educational Center
Alternative education program
42 students 14:1 students per teacher
Mccracken Regional School
Alternative education program
31 students 31:1 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 (~251 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paducah Head Start Preschool's federal record.
- Compare Paducah Head Start Preschool against another school. Compare schools
- Paducah 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 Paducah Head Start Preschool
How many students attend Paducah Head Start Preschool?
Paducah Head Start Preschool has 251 students enrolled. It is a public school in Paducah, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paducah Head Start Preschool?
The student-teacher ratio at Paducah Head Start Preschool is 15.7:1, which is 3% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paducah Head Start Preschool?
85.0% of students at Paducah Head Start Preschool are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paducah Head Start Preschool?
The largest demographic group at Paducah Head Start Preschool is African American at 47.0% of enrollment, in Paducah, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paducah Head Start Preschool?
Paducah Head Start Preschool has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paducah Head Start Preschool rank among schools in Paducah?
By Resource Investment Index, Paducah Head Start Preschool ranks #1 of 7 schools in Paducah, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Paducah on the city page.
Is Paducah Head Start Preschool a good school?
Paducah Head Start Preschool earns 53/100 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 Paducah Independent?
Besides Paducah Head Start Preschool, Paducah Independent also operates Paducah Tilghman High School (860 students), Paducah Middle School (632 students), and Clark Elementary School (615 students). See the Paducah 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.