Enrollment
1,828
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Lexington, KY
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Federal NCES profile for Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210186001669
👥 S:T ratio 32
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #3 of 9
- high schools in Lexington · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.1:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 42.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School has class sizes larger than 77% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School ranks #3 of 9 high schools in Lexington, KY.
School address
District: Fayette County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210186001669 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
107.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.8%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paul Laurence Dunbar High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is a large high school in Lexington, Kentucky, enrolling 1,828 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,828 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 53 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #27.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 27 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 261 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Fayette County spends $15,849 per pupil, 20% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Lexington's high schools, it stands alongside Lafayette High School (2,370 students): Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.1:1 vs 18.4:1).
Fayette County also operates Lafayette High School (2,370 students) and Bryan Station High School (2,030 students) alongside Paul Laurence Dunbar 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 Paul Laurence Dunbar High School compares
Paul Laurence Dunbar 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 | 17.1:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.8% | ▼ 28% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,828 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,828
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 77% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.2%
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
$15,849
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 261 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
228
in-school suspensions + 121 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.1 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 40.0%
Hispanic or Latino 31.3%
African American 13.7%
Asian 11.1%
Two or More 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 40.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.0, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 27
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fayette County, which includes Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.
$15,849
Per student
+20%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.8%
State 35.5%
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 Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bryan Station High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Henry Clay High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Frederick Douglass High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tates Creek High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,370
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,770
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 1,723
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar high schools in Lexington
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Lafayette High School
Standard public school
2,370 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Bryan Station High School
Standard public school
2,030 students 19:1 students per teacher
Henry Clay High School
Standard public school
1,939 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Frederick Douglass High School
Standard public school
1,770 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Tates Creek High School
Standard public school
1,723 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Steam Academy
Alternative education program
453 students 23.8:1 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 (~1,828 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paul Laurence Dunbar High School's federal record.
- Compare Paul Laurence Dunbar High School against another school. Compare schools
- Fayette 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 Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
How many students attend Paul Laurence Dunbar High School?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School has 1,828 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lexington, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is 17.1:1, which is 13% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School?
42.8% of students at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School?
The largest demographic group at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is White at 40.0% of enrollment, in Lexington, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paul Laurence Dunbar High School?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Paul Laurence Dunbar High School rank among high schools in Lexington?
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School ranks #3 of 9 high schools in Lexington, 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 Lexington on the city page.
Is Paul Laurence Dunbar High School a good school?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Kentucky schools. 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 Fayette County?
Besides Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Fayette County also operates Lafayette High School (2,370 students), Bryan Station High School (2,030 students), and Henry Clay High School (1,939 students). See the Fayette 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.