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Atherton High

Public, Magnet Grades 9-12
9th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 262 Kentucky High Schools
Better than 97% of Kentucky high schools
Summary

Atherton High is a grades 9–12 school in Louisville’s Jefferson County, serving 1,466 students. Its strongest distinction is its academic standing: SchoolDigger ranks it 9th of 262 Kentucky schools, in the 97th percentile with five stars for 2025–2026. Atherton’s proficiency rates are above state and district rates in every reported subject, making its exceptionally high overall academic standing the clearest takeaway for families.

Atherton leads nearby schools in every subject with a reported result for the same grade, and its results also exceed those of Jefferson County and the state in all six subjects. Its largest margins over the state and district are in social studies, at 24 and 33 percentage points; its narrowest state lead is in writing, at 16 points. For example, Atherton’s 10th-grade math result is 58%, compared with 40% at Louisville Male High and 19% at Seneca High. One important counterpoint is attendance: chronic absenteeism is 37%, compared with 24% statewide and 32% districtwide. Nearby test results are incomplete, so local subject comparisons include only schools with reported results.

Results have risen most in writing and science: writing increased from 43% in 2023–2024 to 63% in 2025–2026, while science rose from 16% in 2022–2023 to 42% in 2025–2026. Math changed from 57% to 58%, and reading from 64% to 66%, although reading was 72% in 2024–2025. SchoolDigger’s overall percentile has held at 97 for the past two years. Its measure of how well the school serves African American students is lower, at the 59th percentile in 2025–2026, after moving from the 38th percentile to the 79th and then the 59th over three years; its Special Education Students ranking is at the 71st percentile, below the overall ranking. Atherton’s student-teacher ratio is 18.1, close to Louisville Male’s 19.1 and above Seneca’s 13.3. Its free/reduced lunch eligible rate was 41% in 2024–2025, the lowest among nearby schools with a reported measure of the same type and year; that is useful context, not an explanation of results.

1,466
Students ?
18.1
Student/teacher ratio ?
$18,692
Per pupil spending ?
41.1%
Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?
 3000 Dundee Road
       Louisville, KY  40205

(502) 485-8202

District: Jefferson County


Feeder schools for Atherton High:

Elementary:    Field Elementary
    Hawthorne Elementary
Racial breakdown:

White:
62.9%
African American:
18.5%
Hispanic:
8.0%
more
 See top rated Kentucky high schools

 Compare Atherton High to nearby high schools!
At a glance
▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 95th percentile in 2016 → 97th in 2026
Strengths
✓Test scores above the Kentucky average (59% vs 39% meeting standards)
✓Ranks in the top 3% of Kentucky high schools
✓Among the top-ranked schools in Jefferson County
Worth a look
!High chronic absenteeism (37% vs 24% Kentucky)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school59%
District avg29%
Kentucky avg39%
9th of 262
Kentucky public high schools ?
Top 3%▲ up 1 pts since 2016
See the entire ranking list of Kentucky High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
2nd of 23High Schools in the Jefferson County
135th of 158Jefferson 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

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202691.69 of 26296.6%★★★★★
202591.78 of 25496.9%★★★★★
202487.017 of 29094.1%★★★★★
202377.031 of 27688.8%★★★★☆
202291.912 of 27195.6%★★★★★
202188.814 of 26794.8%★★★★★
201986.023 of 28591.9%★★★★★
201895.87 of 27197.4%★★★★★
201782.823 of 28792.0%★★★★★
201689.013 of 28895.5%★★★★★
201585.819 of 29593.6%★★★★★
201483.525 of 29091.4%★★★★★
201388.512 of 29195.9%★★★★★
201279.327 of 22988.2%★★★★☆
201183.316 of 22692.9%★★★★★
201072.944 of 22380.3%★★★★☆
200976.425 of 21788.5%★★★★☆
200873.433 of 21784.8%★★★★☆
200762.862 of 21771.4%★★★★☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202651.831 of 7558.7%★★★☆☆
202566.016 of 7578.7%★★★★☆
202435.658 of 9337.6%★★☆☆☆
202348.636 of 8356.6%★★★☆☆
202275.413 of 8985.4%★★★★☆
202196.53 of 7896.2%★★★★★
201978.612 of 8986.5%★★★★☆
201894.33 of 9496.8%★★★★★

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202678.34 of 2483.3%★★★★☆
202471.410 of 2763.0%★★★☆☆
202384.13 of 2688.5%★★★★★
202274.38 of 2871.4%★★★★☆
202178.76 of 2373.9%★★★★☆
201960.410 of 2356.5%★★★☆☆
201889.43 of 2588.0%★★★★★

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
2021100.01 of 15499.4%★★★★★
201950.671 of 16657.2%★★★☆☆
201863.234 of 16679.5%★★★★☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202688.616 of 24493.4%★★★★★
202587.715 of 23993.7%★★★★★
202484.818 of 26193.1%★★★★★
202376.331 of 25387.7%★★★★☆
202288.314 of 25294.4%★★★★★
202182.816 of 23693.2%★★★★★
201978.232 of 24987.1%★★★★☆
201895.55 of 23497.9%★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202326.919 of 2317.4%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202693.84 of 11596.5%★★★★★
202591.36 of 11594.8%★★★★★
202484.59 of 12492.7%★★★★★
202369.917 of 11685.3%★★★★☆
202279.316 of 11486.0%★★★★☆
202190.95 of 9294.6%★★★★★
201989.18 of 8890.9%★★★★★
201897.33 of 8096.3%★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202683.816 of 24593.5%★★★★★
202584.720 of 24291.7%★★★★★
202464.075 of 27472.6%★★★★☆
202368.549 of 27282.0%★★★★☆
202292.68 of 26697.0%★★★★★
202183.914 of 23494.0%★★★★★
201978.233 of 25487.0%★★★★☆
201897.95 of 23297.8%★★★★★

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202691.112 of 24395.1%★★★★★
202592.410 of 23995.8%★★★★★
202484.521 of 26292.0%★★★★★
202372.340 of 25984.6%★★★★☆
202292.28 of 25796.9%★★★★★
202188.115 of 23893.7%★★★★★
201969.657 of 25177.3%★★★★☆
201890.216 of 23793.2%★★★★★

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202683.48 of 8790.8%★★★★★
202573.114 of 8984.3%★★★★☆
202471.617 of 8780.5%★★★★☆
202369.314 of 7681.6%★★★★☆
202280.68 of 7789.6%★★★★★
201971.09 of 3976.9%★★★★☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202654.824 of 8471.4%★★★★☆
202552.329 of 8666.3%★★★☆☆
202482.412 of 16892.9%★★★★★
202344.173 of 16254.9%★★★☆☆
201972.838 of 22683.2%★★★★☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankKentucky percentileRating
202695.38 of 25396.8%★★★★★
202594.86 of 25197.6%★★★★★
202492.89 of 27396.7%★★★★★
202383.828 of 26489.4%★★★★☆
202294.38 of 26096.9%★★★★★
202187.817 of 20391.6%★★★★★
201975.338 of 21982.6%★★★★☆
201895.09 of 19895.5%★★★★★
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)
Disabled (2021)99th percentile+5 vs school
White (2026)97th percentile~ school
Hispanic (2026)97th percentile~ school
Male (2026)95th percentile~ school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)93rd percentile-3 vs school
Female (2026)93rd percentile-3 vs school
Multi-racial (2026)91st percentile-6 vs school
Asian (2026)83rd percentile-13 vs school
Special Education (2026)71st percentile-25 vs school
African American (2026)59th percentile-38 vs school
Gifted and Talented (2023)17th percentile-71 vs school
By subject vs Kentucky (2025-2026) ?
Reading66%+17 vs state
Writing63%+16 vs state
Editing and Mechanics63%+23 vs state
Social Studies61%+24 vs state
Mathematics58%+18 vs state
Science42%+19 vs state

5.0
2 ratings · 2 written reviews
5★2
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What people are saying
Facebook Profile Picture by a student on FaceBook
Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Open Quote Atherton High School is amazing. Atherton is a 1 big diverse family. Race, sexual orientation, social class, religion, political views and etc do not matter to anyone at this school. Everyone is accepted for who they are. Bullying is not an issue at this school. Education standards are high. Atherton does not offer comprehensive classes unlike most schools. Atherton only has Honors, Ap, and the highest rated education program in the world which is the i.b. program. If your child wants to go to Atherton you should let them. Close Quote


by a student
Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Open Quote Atherton is a great school. They porvide Honors, AP, and a very rare program known has ib. ib is a program that allows juniors and seniors to take college courses. this program is featered in schools all over the world. Only 3 schools in Ky have this program. The student's at Atherton are very well behaved and your child would be lucky to go there. Close Quote





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Frequently Asked Questions about Atherton High

Yes! Atherton High is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 9th of 262 Kentucky high schools.

Students at Atherton High are 63% White, 18% African American, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,466 students attended Atherton High.

Atherton High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Field Elementary
Elementary : Hawthorne Elementary

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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.

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