Total enrollment
3,310
-470 (-12%) vs SY 2020-21
11 schools in Harlan County
Kentucky · 3,310 students · 7 cities
For families inside Harlan County, public-school options total 11 K-12 schools, with enrollment near 3,310 (8 elementary and 3 high).
4-year change in Harlan County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
9
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Harlan County ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In Kentucky | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 42.2% | #68 of 139 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,310 | #46 of 158 | #2,936 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 9 | #39 of 158 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.2:1 | #13 of 158 | #3,363 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 83.0% | #7 of 158 | #1,050 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 10.1% | #112 of 137 | #6,547 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 Harlan County
State test results across the district's 9 scored schools run from Green Hills Elementary School at 59.9% proficient to Harlan County High School at 32.0%, a gap of 27.9 points. That is the 35th widest gap among 101 Kentucky districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 9 district schools that reported both years went from 4,014 to 3,310 students (down 18%) and from 251 to 252 full-time teachers (unchanged), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan County High School | Baxter | High | 09-12 | 945 |
| Cumberland Elementary School | Cumberland | Elementary | PK-08 | 428 |
| Rosspoint Elementary School | Baxter | Elementary | KG-08 | 369 |
| Wallins Elementary School | Wallins | Elementary | PK-08 | 352 |
| Evarts Elementary School | Evarts | Elementary | PK-08 | 335 |
| James A. Cawood Elementary | Harlan | Elementary | PK-08 | 277 |
| Black Mountain Elementary School | Evarts | Elementary | PK-08 | 248 |
| Cawood Elementary School | Cawood | Elementary | PK-08 | 209 |
| Green Hills Elementary School | Bledsoe | Elementary | PK-08 | 147 |
| Cumberland Tech - Harlan Campus | Harlan | High | UG-UG | 0 |
| Kentucky TECH - Harlan Regional Tech Ctr | Harlan | High | UG-UG | 0 |
About Harlan County
Harlan County maintains 11 public schools across Kentucky, collectively instructing roughly 3,310 students.
In terms of grade levels, Harlan County consists of 8 elementary and 3 high schools.
Per-school enrollment averages around 301 in this district, noticeably below the Kentucky typical of 467.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 3,310 students, fell 12% from the 3,780 reported in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Harlan County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.