Total enrollment
3,980
-231 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
12 schools in Carter County
Kentucky · 3,980 students · 3 cities
Public schools in the Carter County system total 12 schools across Kentucky, with roughly 3,980 students enrolled (6 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high).
4-year change in Carter County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
11
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Carter County ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In Kentucky | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 39.3% | #83 of 139 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,980 | #36 of 158 | #2,436 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 11 | #26 of 158 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.5:1 | #126 of 158 | #6,771 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 64.7% | #58 of 158 | #2,339 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 8.5% | #116 of 137 | #6,630 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Inside Carter County
State test results across the district's 10 scored schools run from Carter City Elementary School at 60.3% proficient to West Carter County High School at 34.5%, a gap of 25.8 points. That is the 38th widest gap among 101 Kentucky districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 11 district schools that reported both years went from 4,445 to 3,980 students (down 10%) and from 271 to 241 full-time teachers (down 11%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Carter County High School | Grayson | High | 09-12 | 678 |
| Prichard Elementary School | Grayson | Elementary | PK-05 | 612 |
| West Carter County High School | Olive Hill | High | 09-12 | 506 |
| East Carter Middle School | Grayson | Middle | 06-08 | 490 |
| West Carter Middle School | Olive Hill | Middle | 06-08 | 392 |
| Olive Hill Elementary School | Olive Hill | Elementary | PK-05 | 360 |
| Heritage Elementary School | Grayson | Elementary | PK-05 | 336 |
| Tygart Creek Elementary School | Olive Hill | Elementary | PK-05 | 318 |
| Star Elementary School | Rush | Elementary | PK-05 | 124 |
| Carter City Elementary School | Grayson | Elementary | PK-05 | 117 |
| Carter Virtual Academy | Olive Hill | Combined | KG-12 | 47 |
| Carter County Career and Technical Center | Olive Hill | High | 09-12 | 0 |
About Carter County
Carter County is a thinly populated public-school district in Kentucky. The district maintains 12 schools and hosts approximately 3,980 students.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Carter County is built around 6 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high schools, and 1 combined or other.
On a per-school basis, Carter County runs about 332 students per school, 29% meaningfully below the state mean of roughly 467.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 3,980 students, declined 5% from the 4,211 reported in SY 2020-21.
On allk12, the community for Carter County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.