Harlan Independent School District

420 E Central St
Harlan, KY 40831
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Harlan Independent School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Kentucky for:

Category
Attribute
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 10%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 10%)
For the 2026 school year, there is 1 public middle school serving 455 students in Harlan Independent School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in Kentucky.
Public Middle School in Harlan Independent School District have an average math proficiency score of 33% (versus the Kentucky public middle school average of 36%), and reading proficiency score of 54% (versus the 44% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 12% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Kentucky public middle school average of 27% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (KY)
# Schools
3 Schools
557 Schools
# Students
900 Students
179,212 Students
# Teachers
51 Teachers
11,983 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Harlan Independent School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 171 school districts in Kentucky (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 75% has decreased from 90% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (KY)
#56 out of 172 school districts
(Top 50%)
36%
38%
57%
45%
30-34%
22%
75%
90%
(2022-23)
38.2%
28%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.23
0.45
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
2%
% Hispanic
2%
9%
% Black
3%
11%
% White
87%
73%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $10,921 in this school district is less than the state median of $14,273. The school district revenue/student has declined by 10% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,782 is less than the state median of $14,011. The school district spending/student has declined by 7% over four school years.
This School District
This State (KY)
Total Revenue
$10 MM
$9,360 MM
Spending
$10 MM
$9,189 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,921
$14,273
Spending / Student
$10,782
$14,011

Best Harlan Independent School District Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Harlan High School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
420 E Central St
Harlan, KY 40831
(606) 573-8750
Gr: 5-12 | 455 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 12%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 900 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 18:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 13%
  • : 75% (Btm 50% in KY)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 36% (Btm 50%)
  • : 57% (Top 10%)
  • : 30-34% (Top 10%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), KY Dept. of Education

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