Enrollment
1,119
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · London, KY
South Laurel High School
Federal NCES profile for South Laurel High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210321000865
👥 S:T ratio 9
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Laurel High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in London · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.8:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 62.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South Laurel High School has class sizes larger than 96% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Laurel High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in London, KY.
School address
District: Laurel County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210321000865 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+50% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Laurel High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Laurel High School
South Laurel High School is a higher-need, large high school in London, Kentucky, enrolling 1,119 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.8:1 is larger than about 96% of Kentucky schools and 50% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.0% lands close to the Kentucky typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,119 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,389 Kentucky schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 131 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #129, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 373 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 304 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,119 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among London's high schools, it stands alongside North Laurel High School (1,252 students): South Laurel High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.8:1 vs 19.3:1).
Laurel County also operates North Laurel High School (1,252 students) and North Laurel Middle School (970 students) alongside South Laurel 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 South Laurel High School compares
South Laurel 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 | 22.8:1 | ▲ 50% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.0% | ▲ 5% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,119 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.8:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,119
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.8:1
students per teacher
- 50% above state mean
Top 96% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
39.9%
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
$11,261
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 373 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
213
in-school suspensions + 91 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.2 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 91.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Two or More 2.0%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 91.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.8, South Laurel High School is less 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 Laurel County, which includes South Laurel High School.
$11,261
Per student
-15%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.5%
State 60.7%
Federal 17.9%
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 South Laurel High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Laurel High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Laurel Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Laurel Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hunter Hills Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| London Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Laurel High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 970
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 617
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 592
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in London
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 (~1,119 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Laurel High School's federal record.
- Compare South Laurel High School against another school. Compare schools
- Laurel 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 South Laurel High School
How many students attend South Laurel High School?
South Laurel High School has 1,119 students enrolled. It is a high school in London, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Laurel High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Laurel High School is 22.8:1, which is 50% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Laurel High School?
62.0% of students at South Laurel High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Laurel High School?
The largest demographic group at South Laurel High School is White at 91.1% of enrollment, in London, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Laurel High School?
South Laurel High School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 South Laurel High School rank among high schools in London?
By Resource Investment Index, South Laurel High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in London, 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 London on the city page.
Is South Laurel High School a good school?
South Laurel High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Laurel County?
Besides South Laurel High School, Laurel County also operates North Laurel High School (1,252 students), North Laurel Middle School (970 students), and South Laurel Middle School (837 students). See the Laurel 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.