2024 Best Public High Schools in Kentucky

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.23 out of 5  790 reviews

Junior: The diversity there is great. The school environment is amazing. Overall an amazing school. Dress code is very fair and inclusive. Classrooms are okay - some are extremely small. YPAS buildings definitely need updating. Athletics are pretty good too. Funding/importance is not distributed equally and can be unfair to different sports teams. Football gets a lot although at times being undeserving. Okay football team though. Dance team is ranked #1 in the world! Love the school environment and the teachers are great. Relatively safe for being in downtown Louisville.... Read 790 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,910

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Fayette County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.97 out of 5  348 reviews

Junior: Lafayette high school hands so many options and opportunities to those who look and work hard for them!I can’t wait to finish school knowing I went to Lafayette, had such amazing teachers and friends.Having all of the experiences they offered me.They have never disrespected or disappointed me they have amazing teachers that will help you take the right steps to reach your dreams and goals. I’m on my way to graduating a year early thanks to my counselor and my hard work! For that I’m thankful. You can always work things out if you ask to, they make it incredibly easy for you to reach out and have help if needed no matter the situation.They are supportive and respect the decisions you make when it comes to school and personal reasons. They make sure your safe and have the best high school experiences. I have been through a lot this year but my counselor was there for me when I needed it and held me up when I couldn’t stand on my own. I am truly proud to be called a General. GO GENERALS!... Read 348 reviews

• grade A

• Students 2,419

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  141 reviews

Senior: Brown is the right educational experience for me. I have small classes where I feel close with both my classmates and my teachers. Classmates are extraordinarily welcoming and accepting. My teachers set aside enormous amounts of time to support me. The teachers are very accommodating and truly care for the students. As a senior, I have had many conferences regarding my college applications with teachers. They are excited for my future. Brown has a few flaws, the math department struggles. Our test scores are always lowest in that category, but it isn't just test scores that matter. By being a small school, there are small events that many find skippable. The sports games are not widely attended and our dances can be boring, (Prom was super fun though).... Read 141 reviews

• grade A

• Students 736

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Fayette County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  399 reviews

Senior: Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is a great environment for high school students. The teachers care about the students and leading them to success. The faculty takes care of students who apply for free/reduced lunch and make sure they get just as many opportunities as the wealthier students at the school. One downside to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is the amount of fights that have taken place, especially within this past year. The administrators have made sure to address these fights with consequences in order to reduce the amounts of fights at school and keep students safe. One good aspect of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is the variety of clubs. The school has a great amount of clubs, including Dunbar Culture Society, FCCLA, Senior Executive Board, and so much more. Overall, I have been satisfied with my experience at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and would definitely recommend others to attend the school.... Read 399 reviews

• grade A

• Students 2,054

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Beechwood Independent Schools, KY•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  89 reviews

Senior: The school culture here is the best. I went to Dixie before hand, and it feels like it's very bland and no one had pride at their school. At Beechwood, it's the complete opposite. Everyone has pride here, and loves their school. Around every fall, when football season occurs, it almost feels like a college atmosphere. The crowd gets buzzing, and the community comes together, and everyone gets involved no matter what your stance on football is. Whether you love it, hate it, get forced to go, or even in the band, everyone comes together and the place is electric. I can also say that the academics here are amazing. We rank very high in the state in testing every year, and we offer a lot of AP classes. A lot of kids I know are able to knock out a bunch of college classes by the time their senior year even starts. Overall, I loved Beechwood as an experience, and was the best high school I could attend.... Read 89 reviews

• grade A

• Students 753

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Fayette County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  467 reviews

Sophomore: I love Henry Clay! I'm currently a sophomore here, and there's so much excitement every day. Every staff member in the building always makes sure you have what you need, and that you feel safe while you're in the building. There's so many clubs/ sports, surely everyone can find one that interests them. My only problem with H C is the size. WAY to crowded for the amount of kids. Everyone is in the hallway and there's no elbowroom whatsoever. AC is constantly out, and i have friends have to move to different classrooms throughout the day because their room was unusable. The funding for this school stretches and still isn't enough. There are too many kids at Henry clay; and the budget cannot accommodate. H C definitely needs upgrades. Besides the school building itself, the faculty are all so sweet, and the students are welcoming. H C is definitely the place to be if you want to learn in a lively, fun environment!... Read 467 reviews

• grade A

• Students 2,058

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Oldham County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  225 reviews

Junior: Excellent teachers, decently broad course offerings, and solid resources. A downside is it constantly loses good teachers to surrounding higher paying school districts. Recent loss of these teachers has resulted in less class selection. Also has a drug problem that administration seems to ignore. Bathrooms are full of vaping and weed. All in all, solid education outweighs minor shortcomings.... Read 225 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,039

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Murray Independent Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  55 reviews

Junior: It has been an amazing experience so far. The academics have made it very easy to learn as we have great teachers in our system. Also, our athletics make it enjoyable as a student-athlete. Overall it is a great experience.... Read 55 reviews

• grade A

• Students 472

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Fort Thomas Independent Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.23 out of 5  220 reviews

Alum: My time at Highlands High School were some of the best years of my life. I had copious amounts of friends and I even got close with some of my teachers. I had an interest in our business called Bluebird Embroidery, so that is where I spent most of my time. Without being in any entrepreneurship, or business classes, I was still able to obtain many of the skills through Bluebird Embroidery. No one ever went unnoticed at HHS. We loved, and thanked our custodial, lunch, and extended staff constantly and you could see what a great impact it had on them. One of the worst things I experienced while in high school was the death of my father. At the time, it was difficult for me to pay attention, engage, and ask questions in class yet my teachers continued to have patients for me as they knew what I was going through. I couldn’t have been more great full to attend this Blue Ribbon school and I will forever be a Bluebird!... Read 220 reviews

• grade A

• Students 995

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Boone County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  363 reviews

Sophomore: My overall experience at Ryle High has been pretty calm compared to middle school. I've always had an after-school event to look forward to. Which made the school year go by at a comfortable pace. I also loved the execution of a RAP class in the middle of every day. It acted as a 30-minute study hall for those that needed it. Or a break period to chill. The one thing I didn’t like was the grading system. There were no percentages. Just numbers up to a 4 that every summative project was graded with. So, it was all about estimating your grade based on your range of numbers from 0-4. And to top it off, we were the first school in our district to play guinea pig for this system. Many of my fellow students would agree that this system makes it easier to just not do the work considered formative. Especially if our range is already a 4. A single 0 won’t affect our grades. Besides that, I don’t have any complaints.... Read 363 reviews

• grade A

• Students 2,022

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.01 out of 5  589 reviews

Senior: Male High School has been a great school to attend for all four years.l have learned a lot about myself and have been given resources for great opportunities to better my future. There are a lot of chances to improve your academics with helpful teachers and counselors,and there are so many courses that can challenge students and that allow students to find new interests.in addition to academics there are so many clubs for everyone to join and enjoy. My favorites were book and chess club- one of my favorite overall experiences at Male was our collective school spirit. My least favorite part about male is now crowded the school is. In addition, removing hoodies from the approved dress code directly affects students and parents who have purchased male school hoodies, which were not cheep.... Read 589 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,980

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  372 reviews

Senior: My experience at Ballard has been very crazy. When I first was accepted into Ballard for freshman year, we had to do NTI. NTI was very difficult for my first year of high school, but Ballard made sure to make it as easy as possible. Ballard has been a good way to experience high school, even though it's not the perfect school. I'm still grateful for coming to this school. The teachers who work here always cherish their students. With Ballard, they always try their hardest to support their students, but that said, I think Ballard could do better in making every sport, club, activity, and music performance feel supported too. Overall, I would tell people that Ballard is a right fit for you if you have passion and a hardworking mindset!... Read 372 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,981

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Glasgow Independent Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  66 reviews

Senior: Overall the teachers were the best part, they help and grow relationships with students. They care for all students and tell us that teaching this group of kids is the highlight of their day and job as a whole. They tell us the truth about how they feel when they teach and that they at times have bad days but working makes it better and worth it! They want us, students, to achieve what we want and help us with as much as they can. This is more than just a school, these people here are like family, and getting ready to graduate makes me sad knowing that we may never see them again. It is differently life-changing and something one will always remember.... Read 66 reviews

• grade A

• Students 568

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Bowling Green Independent Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  251 reviews

Senior: My experience here at Bowling Green High School was quite nice, it provided students with many opportunities such as a wide variety of ap classes, good teachers, and many clubs. I would say that this school did not assist students all to much in learning about these opportunities, with a couple classes and most clubs being told to the students by the teachers providing them causing many students to miss out on these opportunities. i would like to see a greater effort to get students to participate in classes or clubs by informing students about the opportunities provided.... Read 251 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,230

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Boone County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  278 reviews

Alum: I absolutely loved all 4 years at Cooper! The teachers were amazing and cared about student success, fellow students were friendly and helpful, and the campus promoted a healthy learning environment.... Read 278 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,406

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  267 reviews

Alum: As with anywhere, people are a big part of what makes an experience good or bad, excellent or horrible, or anywhere on that spectrum. With of course a few anomalies, Atherton High School has some of the best people you will ever meet. I'm incredibly proud of the staff for the way they support and stand behind their students when it comes to matters of fairness, justice, advocacy, and so on. Atherton is sometimes seen as an underdog school to others in the county, but it really is a beacon of unique and talented people who are encouraged everyday to follow passions and interests, and is a place for creatives and academics to flourish in cohesion. Even on the worst days, or with my worst interactions with some teachers, I knew that ultimately, the people there were on my side, and just wanted to see me go on to do great things.... Read 267 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,464

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Oldham County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  239 reviews

Junior: I switched districts to attend South Oldham High School and my experience has been nothing but exceptional! I have felt welcome from the start by not only the student body but by teachers and staff members! While most of my freshman and Sophomore years were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff at South Oldham made sure my high school experience was nothing less than any other class before me had seen. One of the main groups of people that helped me to fit in at South Oldham was Link Crew. My Link Leader made sure to be there for me with many resources in order to succeed. While our athletic teams are sub par, our student section is nationally ranked and we make sure to have a TON of fun during every event. No matter what team is competing or playing there will always be at least one student to support them in our student section. I would say as a whole my time at South Oldham has been nothing but wonderful and I believe that my school has really helped me prepare for my future... Read 239 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,312

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Boyle County Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  131 reviews

Alum: Overall, my experience at Boyle County High School was relatively good. As far as academics, all my teachers were brilliant. They all seemed to actually care (not only about grades) but also about the well-being of their students. This created a wonderful atmosphere for learning. One in which the students felt comfortable enough to speak their ideas and discuss separate opinions within a contained environment.... Read 131 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 854

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Warren County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  166 reviews

Junior: My experience at South warren has been both positive and negative, with the negatives outweighing positive. Positives include the friends i’ve made as well as a few great teachers. On the negative side most teachers seem to not enjoy or try to teach well. Most teachers just give notes and assignments to do alone with not much in class explanation. There is also lots of bullying and people who are treated more unfairly than others. Many young female teachers flirt with male students and are rude to female students. I would like to see change in these.... Read 166 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,476

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Fayette County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.3 out of 5  47 reviews

Senior: My experience at Frederick Douglass has been great! Considering we were a newer school in Lexington, KY we were provided with a lot more technology and opportunities than other schools. The school is very diverse with the most helpful teachers. I would like to see more academic achievement recognized though. The school mostly acknowledges sports over academics and that’s not fair.... Read 47 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,575

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Elizabethtown Independent Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  128 reviews

Parent: Going from a small private religious school Elizabethtown was a very good option. I feel like Central Hardin would have been too big for me. What I like about my high school is that there isn't a very big workload and your schedule can be very flexible depending on if you planned it right. Some things I would like to change are the older teachers being educated in technology and dealing with my generation better, better bathrooms which are being worked on right now, better lunch food, and bigger desks and chairs. Overall I have had a good experience so far.... Read 128 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 781

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Warren County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  176 reviews

Sophomore: I love Greenwood High School! The teachers and faculty are so nice! I just think with a bit of improvement in classes, extracurricular and other opportunities, Greenwood High School has a chance at being the best.... Read 176 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,335

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Fayette County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  45 reviews

Sophomore: My experience at Steam Academy was very beneficial to my education. Steam participated in Project Based Learning (PBL) which allowed students the freedom to fully research topics and get experience presenting to large crowds. We worked on a semester-based schedule so that we could complete our high school core classes in half the time and during the first semester of our Junior year we would begin college classes and internships. This allowed us the opportunity to either intern in workplaces and earn our associate's degree. Not only is the education amazing, but the community is as well. We rarely had any bullying problems at Steam and once they occurred they were dealt with accordingly. They also allowed us to protest and express ourselves artistically throughout our school activities.... Read 45 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 387

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• McCracken County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  119 reviews

Alum: This is the best school in Paducah, in my opinion. It is clean, nicely set up, and very big. There are a lot of club opportunities, and lots of advanced coursework. There are good opportunities for learning foreign language, along with other extracurricular classes. The guidance counselors are amazing and very helpful!... Read 119 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,989

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Pikeville Independent Schools, KY•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  66 reviews

Senior: The best part of my school is the opportunity and support it offers. I have had the chance to take multiple AP, duel enrollment, and honors classes. In addition, there is an engineering pathway that allows me to take classes specifically on engineering. Even though these classes that are offered are challenging, the teachers and staff are always willing to help. My school also offers a lot of opportunities with its robust extracurricular options that have given me the chance to compete and win awards and recognition. Furthermore, the school takes college preparedness seriously and has devoted a lot of resources toward improving ACT scores and educating students on scholarship opportunities.... Read 66 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 535

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1