Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Ballard Memorial High School

Q: Is Ballard Memorial High School a good school?

Ballard Memorial High School ranks 32 nd of 254 Kentucky high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

32^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 254 Kentucky High Schools

Better than 87% of Kentucky high schools

Summary

Ballard Memorial High School is a public high school located in Barlow, Kentucky, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 265 students. The school is part of the Ballard County School District, which is ranked 22 out of 157 districts in Kentucky and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ballard Memorial High School consistently ranks among the top 32-86 high schools in Kentucky, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance on state assessments (KSA) is generally higher than the state averages, particularly in Mathematics (61% proficient or better vs. 41% statewide) and Reading (55% proficient or better vs. 47% statewide) for 10th grade. Ballard Memorial High School also outperforms the state on ACT assessments, with higher percentages of students scoring proficient or better in English, Mathematics, and Reading. Additionally, the school has maintained a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 90.5% to 95.8% over the past few years, which is consistently higher than the state average.

Compared to the nearby Carlisle County High School and McCracken County High School, Ballard Memorial High School generally outperforms Carlisle County High School in academic measures, such as state assessment proficiency rates and ACT scores. However, McCracken County High School, a larger school in the neighboring McCracken County district, consistently outperforms Ballard Memorial High School across various academic metrics, including higher proficiency rates in Mathematics, Reading, Science, and other subject areas.

276

Students ?

13.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,664

Per pupil spending ?

54%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3561 Paducah Rd
Barlow, KY 42024

(270) 665-8400

District: Ballard County

Feeder schools for Ballard Memorial High School:

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

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.4%

Two or more races:

8.0%

Hispanic:

1.4%

See top rated Kentucky high schools

Compare Ballard Memorial High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 77th percentile in 2015 → 87th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Kentucky average (49% vs 38% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 13% of Kentucky high schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 10 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school49%

District avg49%

Kentucky avg38%

32^nd of 254

Kentucky public high schools ?

Top 13%▲ up 10 pts since 2015

From top 23% (2015) to top 13% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

22^nd of 157Ballard County among Kentucky districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	80.0	32 of 254	87.4%	★★★★☆
2024	70.6	65 of 290	77.6%	★★★★☆
2023	69.4	55 of 276	80.1%	★★★★☆
2022	61.3	86 of 271	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	72.1	37 of 267	86.1%	★★★★☆
2019	71.0	54 of 285	81.1%	★★★★☆
2018	74.2	56 of 271	79.3%	★★★★☆
2017	74.6	53 of 287	81.5%	★★★★☆
2016	59.1	115 of 288	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2015	71.5	67 of 295	77.3%	★★★★☆
2014	69.6	63 of 290	78.3%	★★★★☆
2013	59.1	107 of 291	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	37.3	150 of 229	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	78.1	27 of 226	88.1%	★★★★☆
2010	77.3	35 of 223	84.3%	★★★★☆
2009	70.2	46 of 217	78.8%	★★★★☆
2008	40.1	137 of 217	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	49.1	100 of 217	53.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	75.8	34 of 239	85.8%	★★★★☆
2024	74.2	43 of 261	83.5%	★★★★☆
2023	54.6	105 of 253	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.8	86 of 252	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.3	36 of 236	84.7%	★★★★☆
2019	65.0	76 of 249	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	73.3	52 of 234	77.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	67.1	52 of 242	78.5%	★★★★☆
2024	77.8	32 of 274	88.3%	★★★★☆
2023	78.9	23 of 272	91.5%	★★★★★
2022	69.7	44 of 266	83.5%	★★★★☆
2021	84.3	13 of 234	94.4%	★★★★★
2019	72.8	47 of 254	81.5%	★★★★☆
2018	86.4	12 of 232	94.8%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	75.7	38 of 239	84.1%	★★★★☆
2024	60.6	84 of 262	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.8	33 of 259	87.3%	★★★★☆
2022	67.8	54 of 257	79.0%	★★★★☆
2021	80.9	25 of 238	89.5%	★★★★☆
2019	59.3	88 of 251	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	67.7	61 of 237	74.3%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2019	62.5	79 of 226	65.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	74.6	42 of 251	83.3%	★★★★☆
2024	64.1	80 of 273	70.7%	★★★★☆
2023	65.7	62 of 264	76.5%	★★★★☆
2022	54.6	103 of 260	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	38.2	114 of 203	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	63.7	66 of 219	69.9%	★★★★☆
2018	67.1	55 of 198	72.2%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Female (2025)86th percentile~ school

Male (2025)84th percentile-3 vs school

White (2025)83rd percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)79th percentile-9 vs school

Special Education (2019)65th percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs Kentucky (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics61%+20 vs state

Reading55%+8 vs state

Social Studies48%+10 vs state

Editing and Mechanics48%+7 vs state

Science32%+10 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Ballard Memorial High School and help other families decide.

Rate Ballard Memorial High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Ballard Memorial High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				KSA Mathematics (2025)	KSA Reading (2025)	KSA Science (2025)	KSA Writing (2025)	KSA Social Studies (2025)	KSA Editing and Mechanics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KSA Mathematics 10th Grade	KSA Reading 10th Grade	KSA Science 11th Grade	KSA Writing 11th Grade	KSA Social Studies 11th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 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	276	20	13.5	54.0%	244 (88.4%)	3 (1.1%)	4 (1.4%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.0%)	80	32^nd of 254 public high schools	87.4%		70.6	65^th of 290 public high schools	77.6%	33	61.0	55.0	32.0		48.0	48.0	$22,664	$669	$659	$1,325	$12,416	$5,969	$18,389
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	6530 New Us Hwy 60 W	Paducah	42001	McCracken County	McCracken County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 538-4300	1,882	103	18.3	45.9%	1,551 (82.4%)	97 (5.2%)	113 (6.0%)	40 (2.1%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	77 (4.1%)	88.2	14^th of 254 public high schools	94.5%		87.6	16^th of 290 public high schools	94.5%	2	53.0	69.0	35.0	59.0	56.0	61.0	$15,044	$516	$726	$1,242	$9,238	$2,613	$11,851
Carlisle County High School	Public	9-12	4557 State Route 1377	Bardwell	42023	Carlisle County	Carlisle County	No	No	No	No	(270) 628-3800	184	15	12.2	54.3%	157 (85.3%)	4 (2.2%)	15 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.3%)	39.4	168^th of 254 public high schools	33.9%		54.7	124^th of 290 public high schools	57.2%	44	37.0	51.0		35.0	33.0	33.0	$20,395	$502	$890	$1,392	$10,284	$4,941	$15,225

Frequently Asked Questions about Ballard Memorial High School

What is the racial makeup of Ballard Memorial High School?

Students at Ballard Memorial High School are 88% White, 8% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic, 1% African American, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Ballard Memorial High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 276 students attended Ballard Memorial High School.

What district is Ballard Memorial High School in?

Ballard County

What schools feed into Ballard Memorial High School?

Ballard Memorial High School is fed by the following schools:

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

Is Ballard Memorial High School a good school?

Ballard Memorial High School ranks 32^nd of 254 Kentucky high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Ballard Memorial High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

KYKentucky High School Rankings

KYKentucky District Rankings

Schools in Barlow, KY

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Ballard Memorial High School!

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.