Poage Elementary School

Set in Ashland, Kentucky, Poage Elementary School is a close-knit K-5 school, part of Ashland Independent. It teaches 304 students across grades K through 5. That puts it 28% smaller than the typical public school in Kentucky, which averages around 421 students.

Poage Elementary School is one of 9 schools operated by Ashland Independent, a district that serves 3,083 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Poage Elementary School records that the student body is overwhelmingly White (90%). The remainder consists of 4% multiracial, 3% Black. Compared to Boyd County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 25 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 12.2:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.4:1, putting Poage Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 56% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Poage Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 44.1%; this one delivers 39.0%.

In the area at large, census data for Boyd County shows median household income runs about $61,118, 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 12%. Across Boyd County's 25 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,634 students), Poage Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Ashland Middle School, around 0.3 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Poage Elementary School at 4th of 6; the average score across the group is 41.4%.

The school occupies an urban site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Poage Elementary School has rose 21%, going from 251 students in 2018 to 304 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 13.2:1 in 2018 to 12.2:1 today.

On this page, the feed for Poage Elementary School typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.