Enrollment
1,490
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Union, KY
Randall K. Cooper High School
Federal NCES profile for Randall K. Cooper High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210051002206
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Randall K. Cooper High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Union · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 26.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Randall K. Cooper High School has class sizes larger than 88% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Randall K. Cooper High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Union, KY.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
80.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.3%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Randall K. Cooper High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Randall K. Cooper High School
Randall K. Cooper High School is a large high school in Union, Kentucky, enrolling 1,490 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.6:1 is larger than about 88% of Kentucky schools and 22% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 26.3% free-meal eligibility runs 56% below the Kentucky average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,490 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 31 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 497 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Union's high schools, it stands alongside Larry a. Ryle High School (2,077 students): Randall K. Cooper High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.6:1 vs 19.1:1).
Boone County also operates Larry a. Ryle High School (2,077 students) and Conner High School (1,400 students) alongside Randall K. Cooper 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 Randall K. Cooper High School compares
Randall K. Cooper 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 22% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.3% | ▼ 56% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,490 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,490
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 88% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,899
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 497 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
51
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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 82.2%
African American 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 82.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.6, Randall K. Cooper High School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Boone County, which includes Randall K. Cooper High School.
$12,899
Per student
-2%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.3%
State 38.1%
Federal 10.5%
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 Randall K. Cooper High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry a. Ryle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Conner High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Boone County High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gray Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Longbranch Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Randall K. Cooper High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,077
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,400
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,006
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 957
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar high schools in Union
1 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 (~1,490 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Randall K. Cooper High School's federal record.
- Compare Randall K. Cooper High School against another school. Compare schools
- Boone 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 Randall K. Cooper High School
How many students attend Randall K. Cooper High School?
Randall K. Cooper High School has 1,490 students enrolled. It is a high school in Union, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Randall K. Cooper High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Randall K. Cooper High School is 18.6:1, which is 22% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Randall K. Cooper High School?
26.3% of students at Randall K. Cooper High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Randall K. Cooper High School?
The largest demographic group at Randall K. Cooper High School is White at 82.2% of enrollment, in Union, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Randall K. Cooper High School?
Randall K. Cooper High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Randall K. Cooper High School rank among public schools in Union?
By Resource Investment Index, Randall K. Cooper High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Union, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Union on the city page.
Is Randall K. Cooper High School a good school?
Randall K. Cooper High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Boone County?
Besides Randall K. Cooper High School, Boone County also operates Larry a. Ryle High School (2,077 students), Conner High School (1,400 students), and Boone County High School (1,252 students). See the Boone 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.