Enrollment
506
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Olive Hill, KY
West Carter County High School
Federal NCES profile for West Carter County High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210102000202
👥 S:T ratio 37
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 2
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Carter County High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Olive Hill · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 56.5%
- free-lunch eligible
West Carter County High School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Carter County High School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Olive Hill, KY.
School address
District: Carter County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210102000202 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.5%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Carter County High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Carter County High School
West Carter County High School is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Olive Hill, Kentucky, enrolling 506 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 56.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 506 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 516 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #338.
Its student body is predominantly White (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 6/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 253 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 133 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 506 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Carter County also operates East Carter County High School (678 students) and Prichard Elementary School (612 students) alongside West Carter County 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 West Carter County High School compares
West Carter County 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.5% | ▼ 5% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
506
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 61% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
39.1%
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
$11,978
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 253 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
54
in-school suspensions + 79 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.3 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 97.0%
Two or More 1.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%
African American 0.8%
Largest group: White at 97.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 5.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 5.9, West Carter County High School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carter County, which includes West Carter County High School.
$11,978
Per student
-9%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.0%
State 67.0%
Federal 17.0%
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 West Carter County High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Carter County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Prichard Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Carter Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Carter Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Olive Hill Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Carter County High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 678
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 612
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 392
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 360
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
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 (~506 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Carter County High School's federal record.
- Compare West Carter County High School against another school. Compare schools
- Carter 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 West Carter County High School
How many students attend West Carter County High School?
West Carter County High School has 506 students enrolled. It is a high school in Olive Hill, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Carter County High School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Carter County High School is 15.8:1, which is 4% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Carter County High School?
56.5% of students at West Carter County High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Carter County High School?
The largest demographic group at West Carter County High School is White at 97.0% of enrollment, in Olive Hill, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Carter County High School?
West Carter County High School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 West Carter County High School rank among public schools in Olive Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, West Carter County High School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Olive Hill, 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 Olive Hill on the city page.
Is West Carter County High School a good school?
West Carter County High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Carter County?
Besides West Carter County High School, Carter County also operates East Carter County High School (678 students), Prichard Elementary School (612 students), and East Carter Middle School (490 students). See the Carter 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.