Skip to main content
5.3avg / 10

Nelson County School District

School District · Bardstown, Kentucky

Students: 4,412
Teachers (FTE): 288
Estimated Scores: 9%

Avg Rating

5.3

out of 10

Schools

11

5 elem, 2 mid, 2 high

Enrollment

4,412

Student-Teacher Ratio

15.3:1

How this district compares

Kentucky rank

#133 of 157

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-0.9

below Kentucky avg

Per-pupil spending

$14,748

+$762 vs Kentucky median

District size

4,412 students

Larger than Kentucky median

The short answer

Nelson County ranks #133 of 157 Kentucky districts by overall school rating. Nelson County's schools with real test data average 5.3/10 across 10 schools. Its top-rated schools are Nelson County High School (6.4/10), Coxs Creek Elementary School (6.2/10), and Boston School (5.7/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Nelson County High School

Rates 6.4/10 despite 47% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.0 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Nelson County schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Nelson County

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (10 of 11). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Nelson County High School6.4 / 10
2Coxs Creek Elementary School6.2 / 10
3Boston School5.7 / 10
4Thomas Nelson High School5.6 / 10
5Bloomfield Middle School5.5 / 10
6Bloomfield Elementary School5.5 / 10
7The New Haven School5.1 / 10
8The Academy at Horizons4.9 / 10
9Old Kentucky Home Middle School4.2 / 10
10Foster Heights Elementary School4.1 / 10

See all 11 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Nelson County

Nelson County is a Bardstown, Kentucky school district serving 11 schools.The district educates 4,412 students with a student-teacher ratio of 15.3:1. District-level spending was $14,748 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 5.3/10, Nelson County demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Nelson County High School, which has a composite score of 6.4/10.

In standardized testing, Nelson County students show an average math proficiency of 38.0% and ELA proficiency of 46.4%.

The district includes 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Nelson County, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency38.0%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency46.4%
School
State
Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Nelson County with test data.

District Details

State
Kentucky
City
Bardstown
Total Enrollment
4,412
Teachers (FTE)
288
District spending per student
$14,748NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
11.7%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Nelson County?

Nelson County has 11 schools in total — 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Nelson County?

The average composite rating for Nelson County is 5.3/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Nelson County?

Nelson County's district-level spending was $14,748 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Nelson County?

The average student-teacher ratio in Nelson County is 15.3:1.

What is the top-rated school in Nelson County?

Nelson County High School is the highest-rated school in Nelson County with a composite score of 6.4/10.

What are the test scores in Nelson County?

Across schools in Nelson County with test data, the average math proficiency is 38.0% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 46.4%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Nelson County compare to other districts in Kentucky?

Nelson County has an average school rating of 5.3/10 across 11 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Kentucky by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
5.3/10
Math Proficiency
38.0%
ELA Proficiency
46.4%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in KY

Compare Nelson County with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in KY →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Kentucky Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

Related reading

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings and parent guides, free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.