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Average

#635 of 1,284 schools in KY

Top 49% in state

Ballard County Elementary School

Elementary School · Ballard County · Barlow, KY

An elementary school in Barlow, KY serving grades Kindergarten – 5th.

3383 Paducah Rd, Barlow, KY 42024

  • Math 37% proficient (2025)
  • Reading 49% proficient (2025)
  • 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.2Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.52 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.3Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency37% (2025 KSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency49% (2025 KSA)
Overall Proficiency43% (2025 KSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)43% (model expectation from 2025 KSA)
vs. Expected+0.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile47th
Resources & Environment8.4Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.4:1
District spending per student$15,101
Chronic Absenteeism15.8%

Students at Ballard County Elementary School score 43% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 43%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 KSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. KY average.

Math Proficiency37%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)
ELA Proficiency49%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 34 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 43% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
73%
ELA
81%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
40%
ELA
54%
2012
Math
34%
ELA
51%
2013
Math
53%
ELA
59%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
56%
2015
Math
49%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
43%
ELA
51%
2017
Math
39%
ELA
51%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
51%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
51%
2020*
Math
38%
ELA
41%
2021*
Math
38%
ELA
41%
2022
Math
41%
ELA
54%
2025
Math
37%
ELA
49%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from KY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

62%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where Ballard County Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 10Car-Dependent
  • Bike 25Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated781/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$57,969

Median home value

$150,000

Median rent

$579/mo

College educated

11.7%

Homeownership

75.5%

Poverty rate

19.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 42024; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Ballard County

Schools in district
5
Rank in district
#3 of 4
District spending per student
$15,101NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Ballard County Elementary School is listed in Ballard County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Ballard County Elementary School

Ballard County Elementary School is a public elementary school in Barlow, KY, part of Ballard County, serving approximately 463 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.2 out of 10 and ranks #635 of 1,284 schools in KY. State assessment records show 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Ballard County Elementary School

What grades does Ballard County Elementary School serve?

Ballard County Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Ballard County Elementary School?

Ballard County Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 463 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ballard County Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Ballard County Elementary School is 15.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ballard County Elementary School rank in KY?

Ballard County Elementary School ranks #635 of 1,284 schools in KY.

What is Ballard County Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Ballard County Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Ballard County Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ballard County Elementary School has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Ballard County Elementary School a charter school?

No, Ballard County Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Ballard County Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Ballard County Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Ballard County Elementary School?

62.0% of students at Ballard County Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
463
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Ballard County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
15.8%
Area population (ZIP 42024)
1,160
Area median age
50.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 KSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 KSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 KSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 KSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 42024; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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