Nelson County School District

288 Wildcat Ln
Bardstown, KY 40004-5277
(District boundaries shown in map)
1/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Nelson County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Kentucky for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 13 public schools serving 4,329 students in Nelson County School District. This district's average testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in Kentucky.
Public Schools in Nelson County School District have an average math proficiency score of 24% (versus the Kentucky public school average of 38%), and reading proficiency score of 30% (versus the 45% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 9% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Kentucky public school average of 28% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (KY)
# Schools
13 Schools
1,550 Schools
# Students
4,329 Students
658,048 Students
# Teachers
288 Teachers
43,138 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

District Rank

Nelson County School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 171 school districts in Kentucky (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 96% has increased from 94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (KY)
#159 out of 172 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Nelson County  School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
24%
38%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Nelson County  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Kentucky by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
30%
45%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Nelson County  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Kentucky by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
12%
22%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Nelson County  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Kentucky by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
96%
90%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Nelson County  School District and public school graduation rate of Kentucky by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.17
0.46
# American Indian Students
n/a
877 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
23 Students
13,633 Students
% Asian Students
1%
2%
# Hispanic Students
166 Students
62,792 Students
% Hispanic Students
4%
10%
# Black Students
49 Students
70,664 Students
% Black Students
1%
11%
# White Students
3,944 Students
473,873 Students
% White Students
91%
72%
# Hawaiian Students
3 Students
1,217 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
144 Students
34,992 Students
% of Two or more races Students
3%
5%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
155
25,585
# Students in K Grade:
281
47,520
# Students in 1st Grade:
264
49,124
# Students in 2nd Grade:
282
50,490
# Students in 3rd Grade:
301
47,000
# Students in 4th Grade:
301
47,763
# Students in 5th Grade:
340
48,166
# Students in 6th Grade:
299
44,908
# Students in 7th Grade:
321
47,671
# Students in 8th Grade:
316
48,381
# Students in 9th Grade:
392
54,050
# Students in 10th Grade:
380
52,552
# Students in 11th Grade:
367
49,630
# Students in 12th Grade:
323
44,590
# Ungraded Students:
7
618

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $14,234 is higher than the state median of $14,224. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,156 is less than the state median of $13,964. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (KY)
Total Revenue
$62 MM
$9,360 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Nelson County  School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in Kentucky by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$57 MM
$9,189 MM
This chart displays total spending of Nelson County  School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in Kentucky by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$14,234
$14,224
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Nelson County  School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in Kentucky by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$13,156
$13,964
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Nelson County  School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in Kentucky by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Nelson County School District Public Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Boston School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
130 Wilson Creek Rd
Boston, KY 40107
(502) 833-4644
Grades: K-8
| 346 students
Rank: #22.
Bloomfield Middle School
(Math: 32% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
96 Arnold Ln
Bloomfield, KY 40008
(502) 349-7201
Grades: 6-8
| 305 students
Rank: #33.
Nelson County High School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
1070 Bloomfield Rd
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 349-7010
Grades: 9-12
| 783 students
Rank: #44.
Coxs Creek Elementary School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
5635 Louisville Rd
Coxs Creek, KY 40013
(502) 349-7050
Grades: K-5
| 478 students
Rank: #55.
Thomas Nelson High School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
150 Generals Blvd
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 349-4650
Grades: 9-12
| 643 students
Rank: #66.
Bloomfield Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
360 Arnold Lane
Bloomfield, KY 40008
(502) 349-7211
Grades: K-5
| 230 students
Rank: #77.
Old Kentucky Home Middle School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
301 Wildcat Ln
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 349-7040
Grades: 6-8
| 391 students
Rank: #88.
The Academy At Horizons
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
304 Wildcat Lane
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 349-7045
Grades: K-12
| 52 students
Rank: #99.
Foster Heights Elementary School
(Math: 11% | Reading: 21%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
211 E Muir Ave
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 349-7030
Grades: K-5
| 624 students
Rank: #1010.
The New Haven School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
489 High St
New Haven, KY 40051
(502) 349-7232
Grades: K-8
| 322 students
Rank: n/an/a
Heartland Youth Village
Alternative School
1013 Granite Drive
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 849-3440
Grades: 6-12
| n/a students
Rank: n/an/a
1200 Cardinal Dr
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 350-3914
Grades: PK
| 155 students
Rank: n/an/a
The Up Center
Vocational School
1060 Bloomfield Rd.
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 348-9096
Grades: 6-12
| n/a students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Nelson County School District?
Nelson County School District manages 13 public schools serving 4,329 students.
What is the rank of Nelson County School District?
Nelson County School District is ranked #159 out of 171 school districts in Kentucky (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Kentucky school districts for: Highest graduation rate (Top 5%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Nelson County School District?
91% of Nelson County School District students are White, 4% of students are Hispanic, 3% of students are Two or more races, 1% of students are Asian, and 1% of students are Black.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Nelson County School District?
Nelson County School District has a student/teacher ratio of 15:1, which is equal to the Kentucky state average of 15:1.
What is Nelson County School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $13,156 is less than the state median of $13,964. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 13 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 4,329 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 9%
  • : 96% (Top 5% in KY)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 24% (Btm 50%)
  • : 30% (Btm 50%)
  • : 12% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), KY Dept. of Education

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