Harlan High School

Summary:

Harlan High School is a public high school serving grades 5-12 with a total enrollment of 391 students in Harlan, Kentucky. The school is part of the Harlan Independent School District, which is ranked 24th out of 159 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Harlan High School has consistently ranked among the top high schools in Kentucky, with a statewide ranking of 10th out of 290 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the ACT and Kentucky State Assessments (KSA), is significantly higher than the state averages across multiple subject areas and grade levels. Harlan High School has also shown exceptional performance among various student subgroups, including female, male, white, special education, and low socioeconomic status students.

While Harlan High School is a standout performer, the nearby Harlan County High School, located just 3.5 miles away, has a lower statewide ranking and academic performance, particularly in mathematics and reading proficiency. Despite the high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (over 60%), Harlan High School has been able to overcome these socioeconomic challenges and deliver exceptional educational outcomes, making it a model for other schools in the region.


Detail:

Public 5-12

 420 E Central St
       Harlan, KY  40831


(606) 573-8750

District: Harlan Independent

SchoolDigger Rank:
10th of 290 Kentucky High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $31,932 Help


Feeder schools for Harlan High School:

Elementary:    Harlan Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.5 Help
Number of students:  449

Racial breakdown:

White:
88.9%
Two or more races:
5.6%
African American:
3.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  64.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Harlan High School ranks better than 60.8% of middle schools in Kentucky. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.4. (See more...)
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Compare Details Harlan High School ranks better than 96.6% of high schools in Kentucky. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.66. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Harlan High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (88.9%), two or more races (5.6%), African American (3.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 64.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Harlan High School is 16.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare Harlan High School employs 27.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Harlan High School is $31,932.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Harlan High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Harlan High School 127th of 324 Kentucky public middle schools. (See Harlan High School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Harlan High School 10th of 290 Kentucky public high schools. (See Harlan 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:


Harlan Independent:

SchoolDigger ranks Harlan Independent 24th of 159 Kentucky school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Harlan High School

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 83.26 26th 319 91.8%
2013 76.18 44th 335 86.9%
2014 68.11 80th 335 76.1%
2015 64.54 98th 337 70.9%
2016 64.04 99th 331 70.1%
2017 44.24 193rd 330 41.5%
2018 50.38 150th 322 53.4%
2019 57.68 126th 335 62.4%
2021 78.01 28th 282 90.1%
2022 77.87 43rd 320 86.6%
2023 67.74 75th 327 77.1%
2024 54.40 127th 324 60.8%
See the entire list of Kentucky High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 53.88 131st 294 55.4%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.99 210th 285 26.3%
2019 46.48 165th 303 45.5%
2022 82.77 23rd 310 92.6%
2023 66.04 77th 309 75.1%
2024 61.02 95th 311 69.5%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Homeless students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.24 22nd 32 31.3%
2024 51.61 10th 28 64.3%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.15 76th 290 73.8%
2019 62.80 92nd 299 69.2%
2022 61.00 80th 299 73.2%
2023 62.55 89th 295 69.8%
2024 39.70 180th 300 40.0%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.07 211th 293 28.0%
2019 47.91 152nd 303 49.8%
2022 85.24 23rd 304 92.4%
2023 74.47 55th 307 82.1%
2024 73.54 55th 304 81.9%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.57 143rd 253 43.5%
2019 59.90 98th 266 63.2%
2022 66.90 75th 314 76.1%
2023 60.88 103rd 320 67.8%
2024 52.42 134th 316 57.6%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Harlan High School

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Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 84.21 19th 229 91.7%
2013 86.31 19th 291 93.5%
2014 84.63 20th 290 93.1%
2015 85.72 20th 295 93.2%
2016 83.98 25th 288 91.3%
2017 78.73 38th 287 86.8%
2018 84.51 27th 271 90.0%
2019 96.35 6th 285 97.9%
2021 49.85 107th 267 59.9%
2022 58.20 94th 271 65.3%
2023 87.66 12th 276 95.7%
2024 92.66 10th 290 96.6%
See the entire list of Kentucky High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 98.22 2nd 226 99.1%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.51 26th 232 88.8%
2019 93.88 3rd 254 98.8%
2021 12.60 225th 234 3.8%
2022 56.87 95th 266 64.3%
2023 91.43 7th 272 97.4%
2024 91.01 8th 274 97.1%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.90 149th 234 36.3%
2019 97.07 2nd 249 99.2%
2021 50.20 98th 236 58.5%
2022 69.62 49th 252 80.6%
2023 82.91 19th 253 92.5%
2024 85.30 16th 261 93.9%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.86 10th 237 95.8%
2019 90.17 12th 251 95.2%
2021 20.56 203rd 238 14.7%
2022 38.93 143rd 257 44.4%
2023 86.22 13th 259 95.0%
2024 95.04 5th 262 98.1%
See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Harlan High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools KY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.54 57th 198 71.2%
2022 58.12 88th 260 66.2%
2023 87.47 18th 264 93.2%
2024 89.44 15th 273 94.5%
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.

Harlan High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Kentucky Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Harlan High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 457 44 6 1 0 n/a n/a 0 508
1989 426 42 5 1 0 n/a n/a 0 474
1990 406 44 9 0 0 n/a n/a 0 459
1991 429 37 6 0 0 n/a n/a 0 472
1992 417 40 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 457
1993 422 32 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 454
1994 563 40 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 605
1995 279 18 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 297
1996 279 18 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 297
1997 284 31 1 0 0 n/a n/a 334 650
1998 271 17 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 291
1999 272 21 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 297
2000 477 51 7 3 0 n/a n/a 0 538
2001 483 43 10 2 0 n/a n/a 1 539
2002 466 38 9 1 0 n/a n/a 0 514
2003 466 38 9 1 0 n/a n/a 0 514
2004 456 33 10 0 0 n/a n/a 0 499
2005 468 31 5 0 4 n/a n/a 0 508
2006 428 30 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 461
2007 449 23 1 2 0 n/a n/a 1 476
2008 469 28 3 2 0 n/a n/a 3 505
2009 474 21 3 4 0 n/a n/a 2 504
2010 493 19 5 6 4 n/a n/a 3 530
2011 451 24 6 7 2 0 0 0 490
2012 441 20 5 10 1 0 0 0 477
2013 449 20 7 6 1 0 1 0 484
2014 415 18 9 6 1 0 3 0 452
2015 418 14 8 6 1 0 2 0 449
2016 387 15 7 6 1 0 5 0 421
2017 379 19 11 3 1 0 13 0 426
2018 368 23 8 7 1 0 12 0 419
2019 343 23 8 8 0 0 14 0 396
2020 304 24 7 10 0 0 17 0 362
2021 304 25 5 8 0 0 16 0 358
2022 317 24 4 7 0 0 21 0 373
2023 335 21 4 10 0 0 21 0 391
2024 399 16 3 6 0 0 25 0 449

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 Harlan High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 508 30.5 16.6 n/a
1989 474 28.8 16.4 n/a
1990 459 29.5 15.5 n/a
1991 472 30.2 15.6 n/a
1992 457 31.5 14.5 n/a
1993 454 31.8 14.3 n/a
1994 605 39.9 15.2 n/a
1995 297 18.7 15.9 n/a
1996 297 18.7 15.9 n/a
1997 650 37.1 17.5 105.7
1998 291 18.0 16.2 73.2
1999 297 17.0 17.5 80.8
2000 538 18.9 28.5 18.2
2001 539 34.6 15.6 43.7
2002 514 32.9 15.6 67.5
2003 514 32.9 15.6 67.5
2004 499 33.1 15.1 n/a
2005 508 34.1 14.9 n/a
2006 461 32.1 14.4 49.7
2007 476 29.0 16.4 45.9
2008 505 30.1 16.8 89.4
2009 504 31.3 16.1 82.3
2010 530 26.1 20.3 50.7
2011 490 31.1 15.7 50.6
2012 477 32.3 14.7 47.2
2013 484 28.3 17.0 51.7
2014 452 27.3 16.5 50
2015 449 26.0 17.2 52.8
2016 421 25.0 16.8 54.6
2017 426 25.6 16.5 60.6
2018 419 26.2 15.9 51.3
2019 396 28.7 13.7 55.6
2020 362 25.1 14.4 61.6
2021 358 24.1 14.8 67.3
2022 373 24.7 15.0 66.8
2023 391 25.8 15.1 63.7
2024 449 27.1 16.5 64.4

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 Harlan High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 508 30.5 16.6 n/a
1989 474 28.8 16.4 n/a
1990 459 29.5 15.5 n/a
1991 472 30.2 15.6 n/a
1992 457 31.5 14.5 n/a
1993 454 31.8 14.3 n/a
1994 605 39.9 15.2 n/a
1995 297 18.7 15.9 n/a
1996 297 18.7 15.9 n/a
1997 650 37.1 17.5 105.7
1998 291 18.0 16.2 73.2
1999 297 17.0 17.5 80.8
2000 538 18.9 28.5 18.2
2001 539 34.6 15.6 43.7
2002 514 32.9 15.6 67.5
2003 514 32.9 15.6 67.5
2004 499 33.1 15.1 n/a
2005 508 34.1 14.9 n/a
2006 461 32.1 14.4 49.7
2007 476 29.0 16.4 45.9
2008 505 30.1 16.8 89.4
2009 504 31.3 16.1 82.3
2010 530 26.1 20.3 50.7
2011 490 31.1 15.7 50.6
2012 477 32.3 14.7 47.2
2013 484 28.3 17.0 51.7
2014 452 27.3 16.5 50
2015 449 26.0 17.2 52.8
2016 421 25.0 16.8 54.6
2017 426 25.6 16.5 60.6
2018 419 26.2 15.9 51.3
2019 396 28.7 13.7 55.6
2020 362 25.1 14.4 61.6
2021 358 24.1 14.8 67.3
2022 373 24.7 15.0 66.8
2023 391 25.8 15.1 63.7
2024 449 27.1 16.5 64.4

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 Harlan High School

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $437 (3.8%) $242 (2.1%) $890 (7.7%) $8,676 (75.4%) $1,485 (12.9%) $9,950 (86.5%) $11,506
2019 $896 (6.8%) $300 (2.3%) $1,196 (9.0%) $9,129 (68.8%) $1,779 (13.4%) $10,908 (82.2%) $13,272
2020 $1,257 (9.1%) $344 (2.5%) $1,601 (11.6%) $8,660 (62.9%) $2,118 (15.4%) $10,778 (78.3%) $13,765
2021 $2,721 (11.9%) $2,553 (11.1%) $5,274 (23.0%) $16,085 (70.2%) $1,566 (6.8%) $17,651 (77.0%) $22,924
2022 $3,772 (11.8%) $2,711 (8.5%) $6,483 (20.3%) $19,269 (60.3%) $6,026 (18.9%) $25,304 (79.2%) $31,932

Data source: Kentucky Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Harlan 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 126th of 335 Middle schoolsRanks 75th of 327 Middle schools
 14.7%
Ranks 6th of 285 High schoolsRanks 12th of 276 High schools
 2.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English (Harlan High School)76.768
 8.7%
   11th Grade English (Harlan Independent)76.768
 8.7%
   11th Grade English (Kentucky)49.147
 2.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Harlan High School)58.156
 2.1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Harlan Independent)58.156
 2.1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Kentucky)36.433
 3.4%
11th Grade Reading (Harlan High School)67.459
 8.4%
   11th Grade Reading (Harlan Independent)67.459
 8.4%
   11th Grade Reading (Kentucky)4644
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students396391
 1.3%
African American2321
 8.7%
American Indian00
Asian84
 50%
Hispanic810
 25%
Pacific Islander00
White343335
 2.3%
Two or More Races1421
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients55.6%63.7%
 8.1%


Schools Near Harlan High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Harlan High School

Harlan High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Harlan Elementary School

Students at Harlan High School are 89% White, 6% Two or more races, 4% African American, 1% Hispanic.

In the 2023-24 school year, 449 students attended Harlan High School.

Yes! Harlan High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 10th of 290 Kentucky high schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kentucky Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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