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Ballard County Elementary School

Q: Is Ballard County Elementary School a good school?

Ballard County Elementary School ranks 423 rd of 684 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

423^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 684 Kentucky Elementary Schools

Better than 38% of Kentucky elementary schools

Summary

Ballard County Elementary School in Barlow, Kentucky, serves 444 students in kindergarten through grade five. Its 2025–2026 results were mixed: Editing and Mechanics was above the state average, while most other tested subjects fell below it. The clearest concern is fourth grade: among nearby schools with reported results, Ballard ranked last in math, reading and science, with 26%, 42% and 34% of students proficient, respectively.

Editing and Mechanics is Ballard’s strongest subject against the state: 59% of fifth graders were proficient, compared with 48% statewide. However, the five nearby schools with results averaged 69%. Social Studies was weakest: 24% at Ballard, versus 38% statewide and an average of 42% at nearby schools. Ballard was also lowest among the compared schools in fifth-grade Writing, at 23%, compared with a nearby-school average of 59%. The supplied results for Ballard County match the school’s figures. Third-grade math offers a more encouraging comparison: Ballard’s 46% exceeded results at Clark Elementary School and Carlisle County Elementary School, though it remained below the nearby-school average of 58%.

Results have weakened in several subjects over time: from 2023–2024 to 2025–2026, Writing fell 15 points and Social Studies fell 22, while math improved 3 points and narrowed its gap with the state. SchoolDigger ranks Ballard 423rd of 684 Kentucky schools, at the 38th percentile with 2 stars; its percentile was 51 in 2023–2024. SchoolDigger’s statewide effectiveness percentile for female students also fell notably, from 51 to 34 over those years, compared with the school’s overall current percentile of 38. For context, 61% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible in 2024–2025, and the student-teacher ratio was 16.4 to 1. Chronic absenteeism was 11% in 2025–2026, below the state’s 24%.

444

Students ?

16.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,966

Per pupil spending ?

60.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

3383 Paducah Rd
Barlow, KY 42024

(270) 665-8400

District: Ballard County

Students who attend Ballard County Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ballard County Middle School
High:	Ballard Memorial High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.0%

Two or more races:

9.9%

African American:

2.9%

See top rated Kentucky elementary schools

Compare Ballard County Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 61st percentile in 2016 → 38th in 2026

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 23 percentile points since 2016

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

!Social Studies scores 14 pts below the Kentucky average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school40%

District avg40%

Kentucky avg44%

423^rd of 684

Kentucky public elementary schools ?

Bottom 38%▼ down 23 pts since 2016

From top 39% (2016) to bottom 38% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

59^th of 158Ballard 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
2026	39.6	423 of 684	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.1	399 of 685	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.0	335 of 685	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.9	269 of 687	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.1	226 of 684	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	49.5	239 of 517	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.9	499 of 700	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	45.1	397 of 691	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	43.3	429 of 694	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2016	58.8	268 of 690	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	46.7	397 of 698	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	60.5	264 of 705	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	48.2	381 of 719	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2012	62.4	229 of 713	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	50.1	365 of 688	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2010	47.8	396 of 683	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	43.4	412 of 658	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	56.0	294 of 651	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2007	23.6	522 of 638	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2019	18.8	433 of 474	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	16.9	420 of 445	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	37.5	431 of 657	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.6	326 of 648	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.0	316 of 644	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.8	222 of 639	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.0	196 of 641	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.5	170 of 312	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.7	447 of 671	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.8	400 of 663	39.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	42.1	391 of 674	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.2	495 of 672	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	46.1	347 of 665	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.8	300 of 670	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.5	191 of 667	71.4%	★★★★☆
2021	30.9	220 of 275	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	35.9	476 of 664	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	47.7	342 of 631	45.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	48.3	333 of 651	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.2	424 of 653	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.1	328 of 652	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	49.4	321 of 652	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.8	269 of 657	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.5	217 of 325	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	34.9	492 of 676	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	46.7	383 of 665	42.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2019	40.2	441 of 661	33.3%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	36.0	431 of 650	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.3	397 of 659	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.5	340 of 659	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.1	303 of 658	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.0	265 of 656	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.3	225 of 337	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.6	481 of 592	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.9	384 of 593	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Male (2026)49th percentile+11 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)42nd percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)34th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)34th percentile-4 vs school

Special Education (2019)33rd percentile+5 vs school

Disabled (2019)9th percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs Kentucky (2025-2026) ?

Editing and Mechanics59%+11 vs state

Reading48%~ state avg

Mathematics38%-5 vs state

Science34%-6 vs state

Social Studies24%-14 vs state

Writing23%-12 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ballard County Elementary School

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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 Reading 3rd Grade	KSA Reading 4th Grade	KSA Reading 5th Grade	KSA Science 4th Grade	KSA Writing 5th Grade	KSA Social Studies 5th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ballard County Elementary School	Public	K-5	3383 Paducah Rd	Barlow	42024	Ballard County	Ballard County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 665-8400	444	27	16.4	60.6%	373 (84.0%)	13 (2.9%)	12 (2.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (9.9%)	39.6	423^rd of 684 public elementary schools	38.2%		43.1	399^th of 685 public elementary schools	41.8%	24	46.0	26.0	41.0	50.0	42.0	52.0	34.0	23.0	24.0	59.0	$16,966	$1,629	$11,642
Heath Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4365 Metropolis Lake Rd	West Paducah	42086	McCracken County	McCracken County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 538-4060	498	36	13.8	52.4%	441 (88.6%)	12 (2.4%)	21 (4.2%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.8%)	83.9	67^th of 684 public elementary schools	90.2%		88.7	49^th of 685 public elementary schools	92.8%	18	60.0	68.0	55.0	75.0	72.0	59.0	68.0	66.0	38.0	70.0
Concord Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5184 Hinkleville Rd	Paducah	42001	McCracken County	McCracken County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 538-4050	606	39	15.5	52.0%	430 (71.0%)	54 (8.9%)	42 (6.9%)	28 (4.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (8.1%)	88.9	47^th of 684 public elementary schools	93.1%		80.7	97^th of 685 public elementary schools	85.8%	50	63.0	63.0	66.0	71.0	72.0	69.0	64.0	51.0	57.0	73.0
Carlisle County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4557 State Rt 1377	Bardwell	42023	Carlisle County	Carlisle County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 628-3800	395	28	14.1	59.5%	337 (85.3%)	1 (0.3%)	30 (7.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	23 (5.8%)	63	223^rd of 684 public elementary schools	67.4%		47.3	359^th of 685 public elementary schools	47.6%	136	42.0	57.0	46.0	47.0	72.0	51.0	63.0	49.0	37.0	47.0	$18,794	$2,178	$14,057
Lone Oak Intermediate School	Public	4-5	225 John E. Robinson Avenue	Paducah	42001	McCracken County	McCracken County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 538-4160	437	26	16.8	51.3%	361 (82.6%)	24 (5.5%)	25 (5.7%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.3%)	71.4	163^rd of 684 public elementary schools	76.2%		70.6	166^th of 685 public elementary schools	75.8%	3		49.0	41.0		71.0	60.0	54.0	55.0	35.0	75.0
Lone Oak Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	301 Cumberland Ave	Paducah	42001	McCracken County	McCracken County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 538-4120	495	32	15.5	60.4%	364 (73.5%)	36 (7.3%)	46 (9.3%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	43 (8.7%)								(n/a)	77.0			84.0
Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	2501 Marshall Ave	Paducah	42003	McCracken County	McCracken County	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 538-4110	498	32	15.5	53.0%	401 (80.5%)	20 (4.0%)	36 (7.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	36 (7.2%)								(n/a)	63.0			66.0
Clark Elementary School	Public	K-5	3401 Buckner Lane	Paducah	42001	McCracken County	Paducah Independent	No	No	No	Yes	(270) 444-5730	615	38	16.1	46.5%	349 (56.7%)	125 (20.3%)	53 (8.6%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	84 (13.7%)	83	79^th of 684 public elementary schools	88.5%		79.6	108^th of 685 public elementary schools	84.2%	29	43.0	67.0	64.0	55.0	72.0	72.0	62.0	72.0	45.0	80.0	$15,880	$2,481	$13,399

Frequently Asked Questions about Ballard County Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Ballard County Elementary School?

Students at Ballard County Elementary School are 84% White, 10% Two or more races, 3% African American, 3% Hispanic.

What district is Ballard County Elementary School in?

Ballard County

Is Ballard County Elementary School a good school?

Ballard County Elementary School ranks 423^rd of 684 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Ballard County Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ballard County Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ballard County Middle School
High : Ballard Memorial High School

How many students attend Ballard County Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 444 students attended Ballard County Elementary School.

Rate Ballard County Elementary School!

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Latest Kentucky data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataOct 15, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 15, 2026

2025–26 KSA test scoresOct 15, 2026

2024–25 KSA test scoresOct 30, 2025

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.