Ballard Memorial High School

Q: Is Ballard Memorial High School a good school?

Ballard Memorial High School ranks 65 th of 290 Kentucky high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ballard Memorial High School is a public high school located in Barlow, Kentucky, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 260 students. The school is part of the Ballard County School District, which is ranked 26th out of 159 districts in Kentucky and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ballard Memorial High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Kentucky, with a statewide ranking between 37th and 86th out of 267-290 high schools over the past 10 years. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the ACT and Kentucky State Assessments (KSA), is generally above the state average in most subject areas, particularly in mathematics and editing/mechanics. Ballard Memorial High School also has a strong performance among specific student subgroups, such as female students, male students, and low socioeconomic status students, often ranking in the top quartile or top third of Kentucky high schools for these groups. Additionally, the school has a high four-year graduation rate, reaching 90.5% in the 2023-2024 school year, which is above the state average.

Compared to the nearby Carlisle County High School and McCracken County High School, Ballard Memorial High School stands out with its lower student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.6 to 12.6 over the past three school years, which is lower than the nearby schools. The school also has a higher per-student spending compared to the state average, with $15,290 and $16,176 spent per student in the 2018-2019 and 2017-2018 school years, respectively.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3561 Paducah Rd
Barlow, KY 42024

(270) 665-8400

District: Ballard County

SchoolDigger Rank:
65^th of 290 Kentucky High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,720

Feeder schools for Ballard Memorial High School:

Elementary:	Ballard County Elementary School
Middle:	Ballard County Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 265

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.7%

Two or more races:

6.4%

Hispanic:

3.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.2%

See top rated Kentucky high schools

Compare Ballard Memorial High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ballard Memorial High School ranks better than 77.6% of high schools in Kentucky. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.58. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Ballard Memorial High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.7%), two or more races (6.4%), Hispanic (3.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ballard Memorial High School is 12.6. (See more...)

Compare Ballard Memorial High School employs 21 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ballard Memorial High School is $21,720.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ballard Memorial High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Ballard Memorial High School 65^th of 290 Kentucky public high schools. (See Ballard Memorial High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Ballard County:

SchoolDigger ranks Ballard County 26^th of 159 Kentucky school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ballard Memorial High School

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Rank History for all students at Ballard Memorial High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2007	49.06	100^th	217	53.9%
2008	40.07	137^th	217	36.9%
2009	70.22	46^th	217	78.8%
2010	77.33	35^th	223	84.3%
2011	78.12	27^th	226	88.1%
2012	37.32	150^th	229	34.5%
2013	59.10	107^th	291	63.2%
2014	69.65	63^rd	290	78.3%
2015	71.50	67^th	295	77.3%
2016	59.10	115^th	288	60.1%
2017	74.62	53^rd	287	81.5%
2018	74.19	56^th	271	79.3%
2019	71.01	54^th	285	81.1%
2021	72.15	37^th	267	86.1%
2022	61.35	86^th	271	68.3%
2023	69.37	55^th	276	80.1%
2024	70.58	65^th	290	77.6%

See the entire list of Kentucky High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ballard Memorial High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	62.45	79^th	226	65.0%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ballard Memorial High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	86.44	12^th	232	94.8%
2019	72.80	47^th	254	81.5%
2021	84.33	13^th	234	94.4%
2022	69.69	44^th	266	83.5%
2023	78.87	23^rd	272	91.5%
2024	77.79	32^nd	274	88.3%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ballard Memorial High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	73.34	52^nd	234	77.8%
2019	64.98	76^th	249	69.5%
2021	71.29	36^th	236	84.7%
2022	58.83	86^th	252	65.9%
2023	54.61	105^th	253	58.5%
2024	74.21	43^rd	261	83.5%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ballard Memorial High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	67.71	61^st	237	74.3%
2019	59.33	88^th	251	64.9%
2021	80.90	25^th	238	89.5%
2022	67.80	54^th	257	79.0%
2023	74.78	33^rd	259	87.3%
2024	60.55	84^th	262	67.9%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Ballard Memorial High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	67.10	55^th	198	72.2%
2019	63.71	66^th	219	69.9%
2021	38.22	114^th	203	43.8%
2022	54.63	103^rd	260	60.4%
2023	65.70	62^nd	264	76.5%
2024	64.06	80^th	273	70.7%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Kentucky Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Kentucky Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ballard Memorial High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	472	20	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	492
1989	434	19	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1990	422	15	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	441
1991	399	14	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	416
1992	450	17	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	473
1993	473	14	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	489
1994	480	19	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	500
1995	423	10	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	435
1996	423	10	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	435
1997	419	12	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	432
1998	411	15	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	427
1999	422	16	0	0	5	n/a	n/a	2	445
2000	396	23	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	426
2001	386	22	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	411
2002	389	19	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	411
2003	389	19	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	411
2004	404	20	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	428
2005	396	20	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	422
2006	405	16	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	424
2007	400	13	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	2	419
2008	409	13	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	2	426
2009	400	15	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	6	424
2010	364	14	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	8	389
2011	391	20	0	0	0	0	5	0	416
2012	399	17	0	0	0	0	11	0	427
2013	386	12	1	1	1	0	10	0	411
2014	372	20	1	5	0	0	10	0	408
2015	376	23	2	8	0	0	13	0	422
2016	370	18	3	7	0	0	18	0	416
2017	363	21	2	8	0	0	14	0	408
2018	352	14	1	6	0	0	16	0	389
2019	350	12	3	7	2	0	14	0	388
2020	288	13	2	6	2	0	12	0	323
2021	283	17	3	1	3	0	13	0	320
2022	248	12	2	1	2	0	12	0	277
2023	232	9	0	5	1	0	13	0	260
2024	227	8	3	9	1	0	17	0	265

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ballard Memorial High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	492	23.2	21.2	n/a
1989	458	22.7	20.1	n/a
1990	441	20.8	21.2	n/a
1991	416	20.5	20.2	n/a
1992	473	21.5	22.0	n/a
1993	489	23.5	20.8	n/a
1994	500	21.2	23.6	n/a
1995	435	22.0	19.8	n/a
1996	435	22.0	19.8	n/a
1997	432	20.8	20.8	19.7
1998	427	21.5	19.9	21.1
1999	445	19.1	23.3	21.4
2000	426	21.0	20.3	30
2001	411	19.8	20.8	31.9
2002	411	23.7	17.3	45
2003	411	23.7	17.3	45
2004	428	25.6	16.7	n/a
2005	422	26.2	16.1	n/a
2006	424	29.0	14.6	38
2007	419	20.0	21.0	38.6
2008	426	29.5	14.4	44.6
2009	424	30.5	13.9	43.3
2010	389	20.5	18.9	49.3
2011	416	29.5	14.1	45.2
2012	427	31.0	13.7	43.1
2013	411	30.5	13.4	43.8
2014	408	30.0	13.6	46.8
2015	422	29.0	14.5	43.4
2016	416	30.0	13.8	47.4
2017	408	29.0	14.0	51
2018	389	28.2	13.7	53
2019	388	27.2	14.2	50.5
2020	323	26.2	12.3	50.5
2021	320	25.2	12.6	55.3
2022	277	23.2	11.9	53.1
2023	260	22.2	11.6	56.9
2024	265	21.0	12.6	56.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ballard Memorial High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	492	23.2	21.2	n/a
1989	458	22.7	20.1	n/a
1990	441	20.8	21.2	n/a
1991	416	20.5	20.2	n/a
1992	473	21.5	22.0	n/a
1993	489	23.5	20.8	n/a
1994	500	21.2	23.6	n/a
1995	435	22.0	19.8	n/a
1996	435	22.0	19.8	n/a
1997	432	20.8	20.8	19.7
1998	427	21.5	19.9	21.1
1999	445	19.1	23.3	21.4
2000	426	21.0	20.3	30
2001	411	19.8	20.8	31.9
2002	411	23.7	17.3	45
2003	411	23.7	17.3	45
2004	428	25.6	16.7	n/a
2005	422	26.2	16.1	n/a
2006	424	29.0	14.6	38
2007	419	20.0	21.0	38.6
2008	426	29.5	14.4	44.6
2009	424	30.5	13.9	43.3
2010	389	20.5	18.9	49.3
2011	416	29.5	14.1	45.2
2012	427	31.0	13.7	43.1
2013	411	30.5	13.4	43.8
2014	408	30.0	13.6	46.8
2015	422	29.0	14.5	43.4
2016	416	30.0	13.8	47.4
2017	408	29.0	14.0	51
2018	389	28.2	13.7	53
2019	388	27.2	14.2	50.5
2020	323	26.2	12.3	50.5
2021	320	25.2	12.6	55.3
2022	277	23.2	11.9	53.1
2023	260	22.2	11.6	56.9
2024	265	21.0	12.6	56.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ballard Memorial High School

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$450 (2.8%)	$149 (0.9%)	$599 (3.7%)	$10,501 (64.9%)	$3,748 (23.2%)	$14,249 (88.1%)	$16,176
2019	$459 (3.0%)	$144 (0.9%)	$603 (3.9%)	$9,796 (64.1%)	$2,892 (18.9%)	$12,825 (83.9%)	$15,290
2020	$399 (2.0%)	$165 (0.8%)	$564 (2.8%)	$11,845 (58.0%)	$3,863 (18.9%)	$15,707 (76.9%)	$20,431
2021	$375 (2.0%)	$1,078 (5.7%)	$1,453 (7.6%)	$13,634 (71.5%)	$2,996 (15.7%)	$14,489 (76.0%)	$19,069
2022	$495 (2.3%)	$1,094 (5.0%)	$1,589 (7.3%)	$13,214 (60.8%)	$4,396 (20.2%)	$17,610 (81.1%)	$21,720

Data source: Kentucky Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ballard Memorial High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 54^th of 285 High schools	Ranks 55^th of 276 High schools	1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English (Ballard Memorial High School)	56	46	10%
11th Grade English (Ballard County)	56	46	10%
11th Grade English (Kentucky)	49.1	47	2.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Memorial High School)	50.7	41	9.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ballard County)	50.7	41	9.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Kentucky)	36.4	33	3.4%
11th Grade Reading (Ballard Memorial High School)	57.3	44	13.3%
11th Grade Reading (Ballard County)	57.3	44	13.3%
11th Grade Reading (Kentucky)	46	44	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	388	260	33%
African American	12	9	25%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	3	0	100%
Hispanic	7	5	28.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	350	232	33.7%
Two or More Races	14	13	7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.5%	56.9%	6.4%

Schools Near Ballard Memorial High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				KSA Mathematics (2024)	KSA Reading (2024)	KSA Writing (2024)	KSA Social Studies (2024)	KSA Editing and Mechanics (2024)	ACT English (2024)	ACT Mathematics (2024)	ACT Reading (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KSA Mathematics 10th Grade	KSA Reading 10th Grade	KSA Writing 11th Grade	KSA Social Studies 11th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 11th Grade	ACT English 11th Grade	ACT Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT Reading 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Ballard Memorial High School	Public	9-12	3561 Paducah Rd	Barlow	42024	Ballard County	Ballard County	No	No	No	No	(270) 665-8400	265	21	12.6	56.2%	227 (85.7%)	8 (3.0%)	9 (3.4%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.4%)	70.6	65^th of 290 public high schools	77.6%		69.4	55^th of 276 public high schools	80.1%	10	58.0	54.0	48.0	38.0	57.0	42.0	40.0	40.0	$21,720	$495	$1,094	$1,589	$13,214	$4,396	$17,610
Ballard County Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	11 Vocational School Rd	Barlow	42024	Ballard County	Ballard County	No	No	No	No	(270) 665-8400	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
McCracken County High School	Public	9-12	6601 Us Hwy 60	Paducah	42001	McCracken County	McCracken County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 538-4000	1,958	108	18.1	49.4%	1,601 (81.8%)	95 (4.9%)	115 (5.9%)	43 (2.2%)	4 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	97 (5.0%)	87.6	16^th of 290 public high schools	94.5%		67.1	61^st of 276 public high schools	77.9%	45	51.0	64.0	62.0	50.0	60.0	61.0	45.0	51.0	$13,818	$763	$661	$1,439	$9,751	$2,868	$12,618
Carlisle County High School	Public	9-12	4557 State Route 1377	Bardwell	42023	Carlisle County	Carlisle County	No	No	No	No	(270) 628-3800	194	16	12.5	53.1%	171 (88.1%)	2 (1.0%)	13 (6.7%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.6%)	54.7	124^th of 290 public high schools	57.2%		47.5	138^th of 276 public high schools	50.0%	14	35.0	44.0	53.0	30.0	43.0	50.0	30.0	40.0	$16,448	$799	$638	$1,437	$9,674	$3,336	$13,011

Ballard Memorial High School

Ballard Memorial High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Ballard County:

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Rank History for Ballard Memorial High School

Rank History for all students at Ballard Memorial High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Ballard Memorial High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ballard Memorial High School

Rank History for Female students at Ballard Memorial High School

Rank History for Male students at Ballard Memorial High School

Rank History for White students at Ballard Memorial High School

Enrollment information for Ballard Memorial High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ballard Memorial High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Ballard Memorial High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ballard Memorial High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Ballard Memorial High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Ballard Memorial High School

Ballard Memorial High School

Ballard County Career and Technology Center

McCracken County High School

Carlisle County High School

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