Best High Schools in Lexington, KY

Summary:

The city of Lexington, Kentucky is home to 17 high schools that vary in size, student demographics, academic performance, and other key metrics. Several schools stand out in the data, including STEAM Academy, Opportunity Middle College, and Lafayette High School, which rank among the top schools in the state and have earned 5-star ratings from SchoolDigger.

The data reveals stark differences in academic performance between the highest-performing and lowest-performing schools in Lexington. For example, on the ACT English test, Lafayette High School had 63% proficiency, while Bryan Station High School and Martin L King Academy for Excellence Alt had only 31% and 13% proficiency, respectively. There also appears to be a correlation between a school's free/reduced lunch rate, a proxy for socioeconomic status, and its academic performance, with higher-performing schools generally having lower free/reduced lunch rates.

Overall, the high schools in Lexington, Kentucky offer a diverse range of educational options, from traditional public high schools to alternative and virtual schools. The granular, school-level data provided in this analysis highlights the importance of considering individual school metrics rather than relying solely on district-level or state-level data. Parents and students in the Fayette County and Franklin County areas can use this information to make informed decisions about the best educational fit for their needs.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				KSA Mathematics (2023)				KSA Reading (2023)				KSA Science (2023)		KSA Writing (2023)		KSA Social Studies (2023)		KSA Editing and Mechanics (2023)		ACT English (2023)	ACT Mathematics (2023)	ACT Reading (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KSA Mathematics 6th Grade	KSA Mathematics 7th Grade	KSA Mathematics 8th Grade	KSA Mathematics 10th Grade	KSA Reading 6th Grade	KSA Reading 7th Grade	KSA Reading 8th Grade	KSA Reading 10th Grade	KSA Science 7th Grade	KSA Science 11th Grade	KSA Writing 8th Grade	KSA Writing 11th Grade	KSA Social Studies 8th Grade	KSA Social Studies 11th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 8th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 11th Grade	ACT English 11th Grade	ACT Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT Reading 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
Henry Clay High School	Public	9-12	2100 Fontaine Rd	Lexington	40502	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3423	2,031	121	16.8	46.6%	1,048 (51.6%)	409 (20.1%)	313 (15.4%)	146 (7.2%)	1 (0.0%)	1 (0.0%)	113 (5.6%)	72.6	47^th of 276 public high schools	83.0%		64.5	68^th of 271 public high schools	74.9%	21				43.0				50.0		20.0		46.0		51.0		53.0	52.0	44.0	49.0	$13,044	$186	$105	$289	$9,733	$1,592	$11,324
Lafayette High School	Public	9-12	401 Reed Ln	Lexington	40503	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3474	2,432	130	18.7	37.5%	1,534 (63.1%)	294 (12.1%)	326 (13.4%)	125 (5.1%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	148 (6.1%)	87.3	13^th of 276 public high schools	95.3%		92.2	11^th of 271 public high schools	95.9%	2				54.0				62.0		23.0		50.0		57.0		61.0	63.0	50.0	62.0	$12,839	$204	$118	$320	$9,369	$1,726	$11,094
Tates Creek High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1111 Centre Pkwy	Lexington	40517	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	Yes	No	No	(859) 381-3620	1,734	102	17.0	52.1%	794 (45.8%)	486 (28.0%)	281 (16.2%)	50 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	121 (7.0%)	56.2	101^st of 276 public high schools	63.4%		50.3	121^st of 271 public high schools	55.4%	20				26.0				37.0		16.0		42.0		48.0		47.0	49.0	39.0	51.0	$13,399	$174	$117	$288	$10,012	$1,674	$11,685
Bryan Station High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	201 Eastin Rd	Lexington	40505	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	Yes	No	Yes	(859) 381-3308	1,893	107	17.6	59.2%	513 (27.1%)	627 (33.1%)	636 (33.6%)	22 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	94 (5.0%)	32.7	189^th of 276 public high schools	31.5%		27.2	206^th of 271 public high schools	24.0%	17				30.0				45.0				37.0		29.0		36.0	31.0	19.0	32.0	$14,207	$574	$215	$787	$10,308	$1,680	$11,987
Ridge Hospital Alternative High School	Public	6-12	3050 Rio Dosa Dr	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 269-2325	10	1	10.0	30.0%	10 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Audrey Grevious Center	Public	6-12	1177 Harry Sykes Way	Lexington	40504	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 246-4370	20	5	3.9	75.0%	9 (45.0%)	7 (35.0%)	2 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (10.0%)								(n/a)
Southside Technical Center	Public	9-12	1800 Harrodsburg Rd	Lexington	40504	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3603	0	18	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Eastside Technical Center	Public	9-12	2208 Liberty Rd	Lexington	40505	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3740	0	13	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School	Public	9-12	1600 Man O' War Blvd	Lexington	40513	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3546	1,946	108	18.0	45.6%	819 (42.1%)	268 (13.8%)	596 (30.6%)	183 (9.4%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	76 (3.9%)	76.1	38^th of 276 public high schools	86.2%		87.2	14^th of 271 public high schools	94.8%	24				43.0				52.0		24.0		45.0		51.0		54.0	53.0	45.0	54.0	$12,801	$143	$106	$247	$9,508	$1,640	$11,146
Martin L King Academy for Excellence Alt	Public	6-12	2200 Liberty Rd	Lexington	40505	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-4040	182	25	7.2	69.2%	66 (36.3%)	76 (41.8%)	24 (13.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	14 (7.7%)	10.8	241^st of 276 public high schools	12.7%		8.8	239^th of 271 public high schools	11.8%	2				17.0				37.0						7.0		15.0	13.0	17.0	13.0
Opportunity Middle College	Public	11-12	470 Cooper Drive	Lexington	40506	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 246-6379	65	4	14.7	55.4%	27 (41.5%)	18 (27.7%)	11 (16.9%)	4 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (7.7%)	82.7	22^nd of 276 public high schools	92.0%		84.1	20^th of 271 public high schools	92.6%	2												50.0		50.0		57.0	61.0	43.0	71.0
Fayette County Learning Center	Public	8-12	475 Price Road	Lexington	40508	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-0597	187	24	7.9	67.4%	100 (53.5%)	46 (24.6%)	29 (15.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (6.4%)	13.7	237^th of 276 public high schools	14.1%		8.1	240^th of 271 public high schools	11.4%	3			18.0	13.0			39.0	39.0					11.0		31.0	19.0	23.0	15.0	12.0
Homebound Secondary	Public	6-12	701 E Main St	Lexington	40502	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-4100	2	1	2.0		1 (50.0%)	1 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Carter G. Woodson Academy	Public, Magnet	6-12	2000 Winchester Road	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	Yes	No	No	(859) 381-3933	287	23	12.6	60.3%	12 (4.2%)	221 (77.0%)	39 (13.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.9%)	16.8	232^nd of 276 public high schools	15.9%		54.9	102^nd of 271 public high schools	62.4%	130	46.0	33.0	29.0	11.0	48.0	44.0	45.0	31.0	28.0		47.0		43.0	20.0	73.0	27.0	34.0	22.0	19.0
Family Care Center	Public	9-12	1135 Harry Sykes Way	Lexington	40504	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 288-4040	37	3	11.5	81.1%	7 (18.9%)	13 (35.1%)	14 (37.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (8.1%)								(n/a)
STEAM Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	123 East 6 Street	Lexington	40508	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	Yes	No	No	(859) 381-3033	398	19	20.8	36.2%	208 (52.3%)	108 (27.1%)	48 (12.1%)	14 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.0%)	82.5	24^th of 276 public high schools	91.3%		92.3	10^th of 271 public high schools	96.3%	14				58.0				70.0				47.0		46.0		56.0	60.0	43.0	58.0
Frederick Douglass High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	2000 Winchester Road	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	Yes	No	No	(859) 381-3780	1,667	91	18.2	43.4%	779 (46.7%)	472 (28.3%)	250 (15.0%)	63 (3.8%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	100 (6.0%)	63.5	75^th of 276 public high schools	72.8%		75.5	36^th of 271 public high schools	86.7%	39				34.0				51.0		15.0		46.0		46.0		47.0	49.0	41.0	50.0	$13,758	$144	$136	$278	$10,317	$1,732	$12,048
Success Academy	Public, Virtual	6-12	1555 Georgetown Road	Lexington	40508	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	Yes	No	(859) 381-4000	310	18	17.7	63.9%	149 (48.1%)	91 (29.4%)	44 (14.2%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	21 (6.8%)	26	204^th of 276 public high schools	26.1%					(n/a)	29.0	18.0		21.0	38.0	29.0	57.0	40.0				27.0	48.0	28.0	56.0	35.0	31.0	15.0	38.0
Future Forward Education & Career Center	Public, Virtual	6-12	3475 Spurr Rd	Lexington	40511	Fayette County	Franklin County	No	No	Yes	No	(859) 246-2806	46	5	9.2	21.7%	14 (30.4%)	22 (47.8%)	7 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.5%)								(n/a)
Locust Trace AgriScience Center	Public	9-12	3591 Leestown Road	Lexington	40511	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3990	0	19	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
The Stables	Public	8-12	4185 Walt Robertson Road	Lexington	40511	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 333-5827	46	4	11.5	54.3%	30 (65.2%)	7 (15.2%)	7 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.3%)								(n/a)								33.0

Cities Near Lexington

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Nicholasville	4.86 mi	12	165^th
Versailles	12.99 mi	6	74^th
Georgetown	13.17 mi	16	179^th
Wilmore	13.73 mi	2	225^th
Richmond	13.79 mi	16	84^th

See the top KY Kentucky cities

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.