Letcher County Central High School

Q: Is Letcher County Central High School a good school?

Letcher County Central High School ranks 72 nd of 290 Kentucky high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Letcher County Central High School is a public high school in Whitesburg, Kentucky, serving 779 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Letcher County school district, which is ranked 121 out of 159 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Letcher County Central High School has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from a high of 72nd out of 290 Kentucky high schools in 2023-2024 (4-star rating) to a low of 142nd out of 267 in 2020-2021 (2-star rating). Compared to the nearby Knott County Central High School, which has consistently ranked around 130th out of 276 Kentucky high schools (3-star rating), Letcher County Central High School has performed better in recent years. The school has shown strong performance in several student subgroups, including female students, special education students, and low socioeconomic status students, but has struggled with mathematics achievement and has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting significant socioeconomic challenges.

Despite these challenges, Letcher County Central High School has demonstrated a strong focus on supporting the academic success of specific student subgroups, and the school's recent improvement in the 2023-2024 school year suggests that the school's leadership is working to address the underlying factors that contribute to the fluctuations in performance. Maintaining consistent high performance and addressing the mathematics achievement gap could be strategic focus areas for the school to ensure all students have the opportunity to thrive.

Detail:

Public 9-12

435 Cougar Dr
Whitesburg, KY 41858

(606) 633-2339

District: Letcher County

SchoolDigger Rank:
72^nd of 290 Kentucky High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,476

Feeder schools for Letcher County Central High School:

Elementary:	Arlie Boggs Elementary School
	Cowan Elementary School
	Martha Jane Potter Elementary School
	West Whitesburg Elementary School
Middle:	Fleming Neon Middle School
	Whitesburg Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 706

Racial breakdown:

White:

97.0%

Two or more races:

1.1%

Hispanic:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 66.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Letcher County Central High School ranks better than 75.2% of high schools in Kentucky. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.21. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Letcher County Central High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (97%), two or more races (1.1%), Hispanic (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 66.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Letcher County Central High School is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Letcher County Central High School employs 49.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Letcher County Central High School is $15,476.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Letcher County Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Letcher County Central High School 72^nd of 290 Kentucky public high schools. (See Letcher County Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Letcher County:

SchoolDigger ranks Letcher County 121^st of 159 Kentucky school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Letcher County Central High School

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Rank History for all students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2007	25.43	174^th	217	19.8%
2008	33.42	157^th	217	27.6%
2009	43.11	123^rd	217	43.3%
2010	40.26	144^th	223	35.4%
2011	28.66	184^th	226	18.6%
2012	28.85	180^th	229	21.4%
2013	51.52	141^st	291	51.5%
2014	56.57	125^th	290	56.9%
2015	50.62	167^th	295	43.4%
2016	48.52	172^nd	288	40.3%
2017	66.21	86^th	287	70.0%
2018	49.99	127^th	271	53.1%
2019	60.32	98^th	285	65.6%
2021	41.58	142^nd	267	46.8%
2022	54.63	106^th	271	60.9%
2023	59.90	90^th	276	67.4%
2024	69.21	72^nd	290	75.2%

See the entire list of Kentucky High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2019	69.53	44^th	226	80.5%
2023	55.28	43^rd	162	73.5%
2024	67.53	24^th	168	85.7%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	58.55	87^th	232	62.5%
2019	81.93	25^th	254	90.2%
2021	43.40	127^th	234	45.7%
2022	64.68	62^nd	266	76.7%
2023	71.60	39^th	272	85.7%
2024	73.50	47^th	274	82.8%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2021	40.17	18^th	26	30.8%
2022	54.00	11^th	32	65.6%
2023	89.68	1^st	37	97.3%
2024	50.85	15^th	30	50.0%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	59.49	87^th	234	62.8%
2019	68.02	59^th	249	76.3%
2021	29.79	176^th	236	25.4%
2022	56.54	98^th	252	61.1%
2023	68.40	54^th	253	78.7%
2024	71.55	55^th	261	78.9%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	80.50	19^th	166	88.6%
2019	93.49	5^th	166	97.0%
2021	43.49	78^th	154	49.4%
2022	60.82	27^th	153	82.4%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	53.45	62^nd	115	46.1%
2019	41.80	76^th	102	25.5%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2018	46.30	134^th	237	43.5%
2019	71.48	49^th	251	80.5%
2021	40.10	122^nd	238	48.7%
2022	50.32	107^th	257	58.4%
2023	55.89	93^rd	259	64.1%
2024	57.29	100^th	262	61.8%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Letcher County Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2022	48.40	125^th	260	51.9%
2023	52.18	109^th	264	58.7%
2024	58.16	99^th	273	63.7%

See the entire list of Best Kentucky High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Kentucky Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Kentucky Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Letcher County Central High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2006	957	1	0	1	9	n/a	n/a	0	968
2007	968	1	2	2	6	n/a	n/a	3	982
2008	938	1	0	1	5	n/a	n/a	4	949
2009	930	2	0	1	5	n/a	n/a	5	943
2010	937	5	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	7	952
2011	914	5	0	2	2	0	1	0	924
2012	929	4	0	1	2	1	1	0	938
2013	924	6	0	1	2	1	3	0	937
2014	916	9	0	3	3	1	2	0	934
2015	906	9	0	2	1	0	3	0	921
2016	881	7	0	2	2	0	3	0	895
2017	842	5	0	2	1	0	4	0	854
2018	831	4	2	4	0	0	5	0	846
2019	848	5	2	4	0	0	3	0	862
2020	857	5	3	5	0	0	3	0	873
2021	896	4	4	11	0	0	6	0	921
2022	836	3	2	10	1	0	9	0	861
2023	754	3	3	10	1	0	8	0	779
2024	685	3	2	6	2	0	8	0	706

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Letcher County Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	968	61.0	15.9	56.5
2007	982	64.0	15.3	54.3
2008	949	61.2	15.5	64.4
2009	943	60.2	15.7	61.1
2010	952	45.5	20.9	63.7
2011	924	59.2	15.6	67.1
2012	938	58.2	16.1	61.5
2013	937	59.0	15.8	63.9
2014	934	56.0	16.6	62.1
2015	921	51.0	18.0	60.3
2016	895	51.0	17.5	66.5
2017	854	52.8	16.1	71.5
2018	846	49.0	17.2	69.7
2019	862	47.0	18.3	68.7
2020	873	49.0	17.8	65.6
2021	921	51.0	18.0	72.5
2022	861	55.0	15.6	66.1
2023	779	54.0	14.4	61.5
2024	706	49.1	14.3	66.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Letcher County Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	968	61.0	15.9	56.5
2007	982	64.0	15.3	54.3
2008	949	61.2	15.5	64.4
2009	943	60.2	15.7	61.1
2010	952	45.5	20.9	63.7
2011	924	59.2	15.6	67.1
2012	938	58.2	16.1	61.5
2013	937	59.0	15.8	63.9
2014	934	56.0	16.6	62.1
2015	921	51.0	18.0	60.3
2016	895	51.0	17.5	66.5
2017	854	52.8	16.1	71.5
2018	846	49.0	17.2	69.7
2019	862	47.0	18.3	68.7
2020	873	49.0	17.8	65.6
2021	921	51.0	18.0	72.5
2022	861	55.0	15.6	66.1
2023	779	54.0	14.4	61.5
2024	706	49.1	14.3	66.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Letcher County Central High School

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$549 (4.4%)	$156 (1.3%)	$705 (5.7%)	$9,515 (77.0%)	$1,980 (16.0%)	$11,196 (90.6%)	$12,364
2019	$645 (6.0%)	$170 (1.6%)	$815 (7.6%)	$9,415 (88.1%)	$1,832 (17.1%)	$10,576 (99.0%)	$10,684
2020	$595 (4.9%)	$217 (1.8%)	$811 (6.7%)	$9,302 (77.2%)	$2,227 (18.5%)	$11,529 (95.7%)	$12,051
2021	$673 (6.0%)	$675 (6.0%)	$1,345 (12.0%)	$6,965 (61.9%)	$2,419 (21.5%)	$10,066 (89.5%)	$11,245
2022	$1,390 (9.0%)	$1,095 (7.1%)	$2,484 (16.1%)	$9,828 (63.5%)	$2,714 (17.5%)	$11,839 (76.5%)	$15,476

Data source: Kentucky Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Letcher County Central High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 98^th of 285 High schools	Ranks 90^th of 276 High schools	1.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English (Letcher County Central High School)	48.6	43	5.6%
11th Grade English (Letcher County)	48.6	43	5.6%
11th Grade English (Kentucky)	49.1	47	2.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Letcher County Central High School)	26.8	27	0.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (Letcher County)	26.8	27	0.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (Kentucky)	36.4	33	3.4%
11th Grade Reading (Letcher County Central High School)	44.7	44	0.7%
11th Grade Reading (Letcher County)	44.7	44	0.7%
11th Grade Reading (Kentucky)	46	44	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	862	779	9.6%
African American	5	3	40%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	2	3	50%
Hispanic	4	10	150%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	848	754	11.1%
Two or More Races	3	8	166.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	68.7%	61.5%	7.2%

Schools Near Letcher County Central High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				KSA Mathematics (2024)	KSA Reading (2024)	KSA Writing (2024)	KSA Social Studies (2024)	KSA Editing and Mechanics (2024)	ACT English (2024)	ACT Mathematics (2024)	ACT Reading (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KSA Mathematics 10th Grade	KSA Reading 10th Grade	KSA Writing 11th Grade	KSA Social Studies 11th 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
Letcher County Central High School	Public	9-12	435 Cougar Dr	Whitesburg	41858	Letcher County	Letcher County	No	No	No	No	(606) 633-2339	706	49	14.3	66.3%	685 (97.0%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.1%)	69.2	72^nd of 290 public high schools	75.2%		59.9	90^th of 276 public high schools	67.4%	18	40.0	52.0	71.0	39.0	55.0	48.0	28.0	41.0	$15,476	$1,390	$1,095	$2,484	$9,828	$2,714	$11,839
Letcher County Area Technology Center	Public	8-12	515 Cougar Dr	Whitesburg	41858	Letcher County	Kentucky Technical System	No	No	No	No	(606) 633-5053	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Letcher County Alternative Education Center	Public	8-12	185 Circle Dr	Whitesburg	41858	Letcher County	Letcher County	No	No	No	No	(606) 633-5559	4	4	1.0		4 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Knott County Area Technology Center	Public	8-12	1996 Highway 160 South	Hindman	41822	Knott County	Kentucky Technical System	No	No	No	No	(606) 785-5350	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Knott County Central High School	Public	9-12	76 Patriot Lane	Hindman	41822	Knott County	Knott County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 785-3166	553	42	13.1	69.4%	541 (97.8%)	6 (1.1%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51.2	133^rd of 290 public high schools	54.1%		49.2	132^nd of 276 public high schools	52.2%	1	44.0	54.0	43.0	36.0	39.0	39.0	17.0	38.0	$18,157	$3,337	$1,641	$4,978	$9,198	$3,980	$13,178

Frequently Asked Questions about Letcher County Central High School

What schools feed into Letcher County Central High School?

Letcher County Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Arlie Boggs Elementary School
Elementary : Cowan Elementary School
Elementary : Martha Jane Potter Elementary School
Elementary : West Whitesburg Elementary School
Middle : Fleming Neon Middle School
Middle : Whitesburg Middle School

Letcher County Central High School

Letcher County Central High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Letcher County:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for all students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for Homeless students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for Female students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for Male students at Letcher County Central High School

Rank History for White students at Letcher County Central High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Letcher County Central High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Letcher County Central High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Letcher County Central High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Letcher County Central High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Letcher County Central High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Letcher County Central High School