Enrollment
629
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Bardstown, KY
Thomas Nelson High School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Nelson High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210441002324
👥 S:T ratio 21
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Nelson High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Kentucky schools.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Bardstown · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.7:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 36.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Nelson High School has class sizes larger than 93% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Nelson High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Bardstown, KY.
School address
District: Nelson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210441002324 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.7:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Nelson High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Nelson High School
Thomas Nelson High School is a mid-sized high school in Bardstown, Kentucky, enrolling 629 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.7:1 is larger than about 93% of Kentucky schools and 30% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 36.0% free-meal eligibility runs 39% below the Kentucky average.
Enrollment of 629 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 218 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #176, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment) (diversity index 12/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 315 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 409 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 629 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Bardstown's high schools, it stands alongside Nelson County High School (756 students): Thomas Nelson High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.7:1 vs 20.4:1).
Nelson County also operates Nelson County High School (756 students) and Old Kentucky Home Middle School (594 students) alongside Thomas Nelson 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 Thomas Nelson High School compares
Thomas Nelson 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 | 19.7:1 | ▲ 30% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.0% | ▼ 39% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 629 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
629
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 93% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$12,705
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 315 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
366
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 58.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 65.0 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
White 94.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%
Two or More 1.6%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 94.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.5, Thomas Nelson 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 Nelson County, which includes Thomas Nelson High School.
$12,705
Per student
-4%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.7%
State 41.6%
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 Thomas Nelson High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Old Kentucky Home Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Foster Heights Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Coxs Creek Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bloomfield Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Nelson High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 594
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 474
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 296
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar high schools in Bardstown
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 (~629 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Nelson High School's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Nelson High School against another school. Compare schools
- Nelson 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 Thomas Nelson High School
How many students attend Thomas Nelson High School?
Thomas Nelson High School has 629 students enrolled. It is a high school in Bardstown, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Nelson High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Nelson High School is 19.7:1, which is 30% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Nelson High School?
36.0% of students at Thomas Nelson High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Nelson High School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Nelson High School is White at 94.0% of enrollment, in Bardstown, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Nelson High School?
Thomas Nelson High School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Thomas Nelson High School rank among high schools in Bardstown?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Nelson High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Bardstown, 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 Bardstown on the city page.
Is Thomas Nelson High School a good school?
Thomas Nelson High School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of 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 Nelson County?
Besides Thomas Nelson High School, Nelson County also operates Nelson County High School (756 students), Old Kentucky Home Middle School (594 students), and Foster Heights Elementary School (588 students). See the Nelson 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.