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Best public high schools in Kentucky

As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.

It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.5 million students enrolled in public PreK-12 schools in 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.

For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.

Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in Kentucky using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses eight weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics and grades, but other factors include culture and diversity, health and safety, clubs and activities, resources, and surveys of parents, teachers and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.

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#30. Harlan High School

– District: Harlan Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 358 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: B+

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#29. John Hardin High School

– District: Hardin County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 772 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: B+

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#28. Pikeville High School

– District: Pikeville Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 545 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#27. Franklin-Simpson High School

– District: Simpson County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 785 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#26. Woodford County High School

– District: Woodford County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,274 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#25. Campbell County High School

– District: Campbell County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,462 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#24. Eastern High School

– District: Jefferson County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,174 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#23. Greenwood High School

– District: Warren County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,310 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#22. Boyle County High School

– District: Boyle County Schools
– Enrollment: 843 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#21. Oldham County High School

– District: Oldham County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,689 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#20. Elizabethtown High School

– District: Elizabethtown Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 794 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#19. South Warren High School

– District: Warren County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,462 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A-

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#18. Randall K. Cooper High School

– District: Boone County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,402 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#17. Ballard High School

– District: Jefferson County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,035 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#16. Larry A. Ryle High School

– District: Boone County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,027 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#15. South Oldham High School

– District: Oldham County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,340 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#14. Glasgow High School

– District: Glasgow Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 590 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#13. Atherton High School

– District: Jefferson County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,495 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#12. Louisville Male High School

– District: Jefferson County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,992 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#11. J. Graham Brown School

– District: Jefferson County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 753 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#10. North Oldham High School

– District: Oldham County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,070 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#9. Murray High School

– District: Murray Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 484 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#8. Bowling Green High School

– District: Bowling Green Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 1,005 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#7. Highlands High School

– District: Fort Thomas Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 1,036 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#6. Henry Clay High School

– District: Fayette County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,054 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#5. Lafayette High School

– District: Fayette County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,363 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#4. Beechwood High School

– District: Beechwood Independent Schools
– Enrollment: 730 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A

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#3. Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

– District: Fayette County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 2,022 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+

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#2. The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science

– City: Bowling Green
– Enrollment: 190
– Niche grade: A+

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#1. DuPont Manual High School

– District: Jefferson County Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,929 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+