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ENROLLMENT TRENDS · KENTUCKY

Kentucky schools on the rise

Kentucky public schools with the largest enrollment growth from 2017-18 to 2024-25.

Schools in this report
50
top growth in state
Top growth
+83%
Frederick Douglass High School
Range
+25% to +83%
2017-18 → 2024-25
TOP 50 KY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ENROLLMENT GROWTH · 2017-18 → 2024-25
SchoolCityDistrict2017-182024-25% change ↓
Frederick Douglass High SchoolLEXINGTONFayette County9651,77083.4%
Knight MiddleLOUISVILLEJefferson County41575782.4%
The Central AcademyHENDERSONHenderson County15326975.8%
Raceland-Worthington Middle SchoolRACELANDRaceland-Worthington Independent22939170.7%
Old Kentucky Home Middle SchoolBARDSTOWNNelson County35059469.7%
Rich Pond ElementaryBOWLING GREENWarren County58699068.9%
Cecilia Valley Elementary SchoolCECILIAHardin County30149062.8%
Casey County Middle SchoolLIBERTYCasey County32349753.9%
T C Cherry Elementary SchoolBOWLING GREENBowling Green Independent28143153.4%
The Academy @ ShawneeLOUISVILLEJefferson County6861,05153.2%
Stuart Middle SchoolLOUISVILLEJefferson County7711,16651.2%
McCreary County Middle SchoolSTEARNSMcCreary County42463349.3%
Carter G. Woodson AcademyLEXINGTONFayette County21531647.0%
Oakland ElementaryOAKLANDWarren County29443246.9%
Hustonville Elementary SchoolHUSTONVILLELincoln County30043946.3%
Indian Trail ElementaryLOUISVILLEJefferson County44464946.2%
Muhlenberg County Middle SchoolGREENVILLEMuhlenberg County60387144.4%
Cravens Elementary SchoolOWENSBOROOwensboro Independent27539644.0%
Corbin Middle SchoolCORBINCorbin Independent46967543.9%
Bryan Station High SchoolLEXINGTONFayette County1,4172,03043.3%
May Valley Elementary SchoolMARTINFloyd County35650842.7%
Austin Tracy Elementary SchoolLUCASBarren County24334642.4%
McNabb Middle SchoolMOUNT STERLINGMontgomery County66292840.2%
Corbin PrimaryCORBINCorbin Independent58681539.1%
Frankfort High SchoolFRANKFORTFrankfort Independent23833139.1%
STEAM AcademyLEXINGTONFayette County32745338.5%
Laukhuf ElementaryLOUISVILLEJefferson County45562737.8%
Bardstown Elementary SchoolBARDSTOWNBardstown Independent61684737.5%
Sandersville ElementaryLEXINGTONFayette County56076536.6%
Plano ElementaryBOWLING GREENWarren County55075036.4%
Eminence High SchoolEMINENCEEminence Independent40755135.4%
Paris High SchoolPARISParis Independent19826734.8%
Freedom Elementary SchoolSHEPHERDSVILLEBullitt County45460633.5%
Lincoln Trail Elementary SchoolELIZABETHTOWNHardin County49065333.3%
Sutton Elementary SchoolOWENSBOROOwensboro Independent40353532.8%
Carroll County Middle SchoolCARROLLTONCarroll County42155531.8%
Indian Hills Elementary SchoolHOPKINSVILLEChristian County51367431.4%
Breathitt County High SchoolJACKSONBreathitt County51866929.2%
Newton Parrish Elementary SchoolOWENSBOROOwensboro Independent42554528.2%
Southern HighLOUISVILLEJefferson County1,3461,72528.2%
South Warren High SchoolBOWLING GREENWarren County1,2091,54828.0%
Harlan Elementary SchoolHARLANHarlan Independent26233527.9%
Hartstern ElementaryLOUISVILLEJefferson County46859727.6%
Okolona ElementaryLOUISVILLEJefferson County32741727.5%
Coventry Oak ElementaryLEXINGTONFayette County59575526.9%
Murray High SchoolMURRAYMurray Independent47960726.7%
Rangeland ElementaryLOUISVILLEJefferson County42553225.2%
Leestown Middle SchoolLEXINGTONFayette County8671,08425.0%
Marion County High SchoolLEBANONMarion County70487924.9%
Fern Creek ElementaryLOUISVILLEJefferson County59774424.6%
50 of 50 rows · Brick-and-mortar only. Virtual, online, and cyber schools excluded. Schools must have had ≥100 students in 2017-18 and be open in both school years.↓ Download schools-on-the-rise-by-state-ky.csv

How this list was built

Every Kentucky public school that reported total enrollment in both the NCES SY 2017-18 and SY 2024-25 vintages was scored on percent change in enrollment. Schools needed at least 100 students in 2017-18 to qualify, which filters out small specialty programs whose percentage swings are dominated by noise. Brick-and-mortar only: virtual academies, cyber charters, and online schools are excluded by name pattern and by NCES is_virtual flag. Those schools dominate raw growth numbers but rarely represent a school families are choosing for their neighborhood.

Enrollment growth is a leading indicator, not a quality measure. Schools grow because catchment areas shift, because districts consolidate, because a magnet program opens, or because reputation pulls in transfers. A school on this list is one that more Kentuckyfamilies are sending their kids to in 2024-25 than in 2017-18, for whatever reason. Pair this with the school's page on allk12 for test scores, demographics, and discussion.

Source data

NCES Common Core of Data, EDGE_ADMINDATA_PUBLICSCH MapServer, vintages 2017-18 and 2024-25. Refreshed yearly when NCES publishes a new admin-data release. School names, slugs, and current district affiliation come from the 2024-25 snapshot.

HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT

Anyone is welcome to cite or republish these findings. Please credit allk12.com and link back to this page so readers can verify the underlying data.

allk12 (2026). "Kentucky schools on the rise: enrollment growth 2017–2024." Retrieved from https://allk12.com/reports/on-the-rise/kentucky
For interview requests or custom data pulls: [email protected]
DOWNLOAD THE DATA
↓ schools-on-the-rise-by-state-ky.csv
RELATED
Kentucky schools in decline · All Kentucky schools · Best Kentucky schools · All states
DATA NOTICE

allk12 is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCES, the US Census Bureau, any state education agency or assessment program, or any other government agency. Source data is compiled from public records and provided "as is," without warranty of accuracy or completeness. You rely on it, and any analysis derived from it, at your own risk. See the full disclaimer.