Enrollment
1,725
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Louisville, KY
Southern High
Federal NCES profile for Southern High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210299000637
👥 S:T ratio 14
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern High earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Kentucky schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Kentucky.
- #18 of 18
- high schools in Louisville · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.6:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 65.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern High has class sizes larger than 95% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern High ranks #18 of 18 high schools in Louisville, KY.
School address
District: Jefferson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210299000637 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
80.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southern High compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southern High
Southern High is a higher-need, large high school in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolling 1,725 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.6:1 is larger than about 95% of Kentucky schools and 42% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kentucky, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,725 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,389 Kentucky schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 29 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #28, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and African American (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 431 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Jefferson County spends $17,376 per pupil, 32% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 993 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,725 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 10 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Louisville's high schools, it stands alongside Ballard High (2,148 students): Southern High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.6:1 vs 19.9:1).
Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students) and Dupont Manual High (1,899 students) alongside Southern High.
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 Southern High compares
Southern High on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.6:1 | ▲ 42% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.0% | ▲ 10% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,725 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,725
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 42% above state mean
Top 95% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
43.0%
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
$17,376
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 431 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
753
in-school suspensions + 240 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 43.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 57.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 10 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 39.7%
African American 29.4%
White 24.8%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 39.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Southern High is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County, which includes Southern High.
$17,376
Per student
+32%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.8%
State 30.9%
Federal 22.3%
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 Southern High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dupont Manual High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marion C. Moore School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastern High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasure Ridge Park High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,892
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,790
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,777
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar high schools in Louisville
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Ballard High
Standard public school
2,148 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Dupont Manual High
Standard public school
1,899 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Pleasure Ridge Park High
Standard public school
1,777 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Louisville Male High
Standard public school
1,763 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Fern Creek High
Standard public school
1,525 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Atherton High
Standard public school
1,466 students 18.3:1 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 (~1,725 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southern High's federal record.
- Compare Southern High against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson 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 Southern High
How many students attend Southern High?
Southern High has 1,725 students enrolled. It is a high school in Louisville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern High?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern High is 21.6:1, which is 42% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southern High?
65.0% of students at Southern High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern High?
The largest demographic group at Southern High is Hispanic or Latino at 39.7% of enrollment, in Louisville, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern High?
Southern High has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Southern High rank among high schools in Louisville?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern High ranks #18 of 18 high schools in Louisville, 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 Louisville on the city page.
Is Southern High a good school?
Southern High earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Jefferson County?
Besides Southern High, Jefferson County also operates Ballard High (2,148 students), Dupont Manual High (1,899 students), and Marion C. Moore School (1,892 students). See the Jefferson 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.