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Harlan County

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At a glance

54^thof 158 Kentucky districts▼ 2

Better than 65% of Kentucky districts

Elementary 8 High 1Grades PK, KG-12

251 Ball Park Rd
Harlan, KY 40831·(606) 573-4330·All Kentucky district rankings →

Statewide performance 2018–2026

2026: better than 65.8% of districts

Schools

3,310

Students

Top rankedCawood Elementary School90^th of 684 Kentucky elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Cawood Elementary School up 134 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

James A. Cawood Elementary 10.9 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

1★

2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare Kentucky districts →See the top-ranked Kentucky schools →

Summary:

The nine schools in Harlan County include eight elementary schools serving through grade 8 and one high school serving grades 9–12. The elementary schools enroll 2,365 students, or about 296 each on average. Their 2025–26 subject averages are 2 to 4 percentage points above matched state averages, but those averages mask substantial differences from one grade and school to another. The biggest takeaway for families is that a school’s overall profile may not reflect the results in their child’s specific grade or subject.

Some elementary results are well above the state, while others are far below: eighth-grade reading ranges from 64% at Cumberland Elementary School to 15% at both Evarts Elementary School and Black Mountain Elementary School—a 49-point spread against a state result of 40%. Fifth-grade editing and mechanics spans 68% at James A. Cawood Elementary to 13% at Wallins Elementary School. Other high points include Cawood Elementary School at 82% in grade 6 math and Green Hills Elementary School at 67% in grade 7 science. At Harlan County High School, five of six subjects are below the state; editing and mechanics is the exception, at 44% versus 40%, while social studies is 26% versus 37%.

SchoolDigger’s average elementary ranking percentile fell from 65 in 2023–24 to 55 in 2024–25, then edged up to 56 in 2025–26. The overall decline coexists with gains at James A. Cawood, from the 71st to 79th percentile, and Evarts, from the 65th to 66th; Black Mountain fell from the 64th to 36th. Rankings do not guarantee strong results in every grade: Cawood Elementary ranks at the 87th percentile but reports 30% in grade 5 math, compared with 43% statewide. Attendance is another concern: every elementary school is above the state chronic absenteeism rate, and the high school reports 55%. Free/reduced lunch eligible figures for 2024–25 range from 77% to 91% among elementary schools; these provide context, not an explanation for results.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				KSA Mathematics (2026)							KSA Reading (2026)							KSA Science (2026)			KSA Writing (2026)			KSA Social Studies (2026)			KSA Editing and Mechanics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KSA Mathematics 3rd Grade	KSA Mathematics 4th Grade	KSA Mathematics 5th Grade	KSA Mathematics 6th Grade	KSA Mathematics 7th Grade	KSA Mathematics 8th Grade	KSA Mathematics 10th Grade	KSA Reading 3rd Grade	KSA Reading 4th Grade	KSA Reading 5th Grade	KSA Reading 6th Grade	KSA Reading 7th Grade	KSA Reading 8th Grade	KSA Reading 10th Grade	KSA Science 4th Grade	KSA Science 7th Grade	KSA Science 11th Grade	KSA Writing 5th Grade	KSA Writing 8th Grade	KSA Writing 11th Grade	KSA Social Studies 5th Grade	KSA Social Studies 8th Grade	KSA Social Studies 11th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 5th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 8th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cumberland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	322 Golf Course Rd	Cumberland	40823	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 589-2511	428	32	13.2	83.4%	381 (89.0%)	22 (5.1%)	8 (1.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	45.4	381^st of 684 public elementary schools	44.3%		37.9	448^th of 685 public elementary schools	34.6%	67	47.0	36.0		44.0	52.0	57.0		60.0	53.0	41.0	61.0	66.0	64.0		42.0	45.0		9.0	41.0		32.0	64.0		44.0	66.0		$17,665	$2,538	$14,853
Black Mountain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	1555 Hwy 215	Evarts	40828	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 837-2214	248	22	11.2	90.7%	236 (95.2%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)	37.2	437^th of 684 public elementary schools	36.1%		45.2	377^th of 685 public elementary schools	45.0%	60	45.0	26.0		43.0	19.0			55.0		50.0	57.0	33.0	15.0		35.0	29.0					19.0	30.0		23.0	30.0		$20,543	$3,196	$17,024
Cawood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	51 Nola St	Cawood	40815	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 573-2502	209	16	13.0	86.6%	200 (95.7%)	2 (1.0%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	81.9	90^th of 684 public elementary schools	86.8%		63.7	224^th of 685 public elementary schools	67.3%	134	67.0		30.0	82.0		63.0		75.0		78.0									75.0		57.0						$19,167	$2,203	$16,592
Evarts Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	132 Keister St	Evarts	40828	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 837-2386	335	24	13.9	88.1%	320 (95.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.1%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.5%)	61.3	235^th of 684 public elementary schools	65.6%		52.7	315^th of 685 public elementary schools	54.0%	80	30.0	38.0	59.0	53.0	53.0	21.0		43.0	48.0	65.0	81.0	69.0	15.0		35.0	47.0		41.0	64.0		65.0	26.0		65.0	49.0		$16,079	$2,297	$13,529
Green Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	123 W Hwy 221	Bledsoe	40810	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 558-3533	147	11	13.3	83.7%	132 (89.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	54.5	292^nd of 684 public elementary schools	57.3%		75.1	135^th of 685 public elementary schools	80.3%	157	25.0	64.0		53.0	42.0	25.0		42.0	43.0		73.0	58.0	42.0		43.0	67.0											$21,623	$1,988	$19,586
James A. Cawood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	279 Ball Park Rd	Harlan	40831	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 573-5029	277	25	10.9	83.0%	273 (98.6%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	73.7	144^th of 684 public elementary schools	78.9%		62.5	232^nd of 685 public elementary schools	66.1%	88	54.0	43.0	56.0	58.0	57.0	40.0		75.0	57.0	64.0	58.0	51.0	44.0		57.0	31.0		32.0			64.0	36.0		68.0	48.0		$15,691	$2,630	$16,708
Rosspoint Elementary School	Public	K-8	132 Hwy 522	Baxter	40806	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 573-4600	369	25	14.7	77.2%	361 (97.8%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	49	347^th of 684 public elementary schools	49.3%		60.7	246^th of 685 public elementary schools	64.1%	101	32.0	17.0	45.0	52.0	43.0	54.0		50.0	45.0	64.0	71.0	66.0	44.0		19.0	23.0		21.0	59.0		48.0	61.0		67.0	63.0		$15,210	$1,911	$13,033
Wallins Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	993 Hwy 219	Wallins Creek	40873	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 664-3444	352	28	12.8	81.0%	344 (97.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	30	498^th of 684 public elementary schools	27.2%		29	508^th of 685 public elementary schools	25.8%	10		36.0		37.0	48.0	13.0		49.0	44.0	44.0	43.0	58.0			28.0			38.0	53.0		28.0	20.0		13.0	30.0		$16,796	$2,523	$14,028
Cumberland Technical - Harlan Campus	Public		164 Ballpark Road	Harlan	40831	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	No	(606) 573-1506	0	0		—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Kentucky Technical - Harlan Regional Technical Center	Public		164 Ball Park Road	Harlan	40831	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	No	(606) 573-1506	0	0		—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Harlan County High School	Public	9-12	4000 N US Hwy 119	Baxter	40806	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 574-2020	945	68	13.8	81.2%	889 (94.1%)	22 (2.3%)	20 (2.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.3%)	40.1	158^th of 262 public high schools	39.7%		42.5	158^th of 254 public high schools	37.8%								36.0							43.0			22.0			41.0			26.0			44.0	$15,691	$1,892	$13,671

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Letcher County	11.25 mi	8	110^th
Kentucky Technical System	14.57 mi	50
Perry County	15.72 mi	9	46^th
Leslie County	16.07 mi	5	28^th
Knott County	18.82 mi	7	62^nd

See the top KY Kentucky districts

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.