Mercer Central

Summary:

Mercer Central is a public virtual high school located in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 45 students. The school is part of the Mercer County School District, which is ranked 88 out of 159 districts in Kentucky and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Mercer Central has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Kentucky high schools, with a ranking between 229-256 out of 267-290 schools over the past several years. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the ACT, is significantly lower than the Mercer County and Kentucky state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 11% of Mercer Central's 11th-grade students were proficient or better in ACT English, compared to 42% for Mercer County and 44% for the state. Mercer Central's performance on the Kentucky State Assessments (KSA) is also well below the Mercer County and state averages across various subject areas. However, the school has a 100% four-year graduation rate, which is higher than the 94.1% rate at the nearby Mercer County Senior High School.

Mercer Central has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 77.78% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, significantly higher than the 52.67% rate at Mercer County Senior High School. The school's student population is predominantly White, with the White student subgroup ranking in the bottom quarter of Kentucky high schools for academic performance. Additionally, Mercer Central has a relatively high student-to-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.6 to 21 over the past three school years, compared to 15.8 at Mercer County Senior High School. The school's spending per student is not available, but the Mercer County School District as a whole spends $11,664 per student, which is lower than the $16,581 spent per student at West Jessamine High School in the neighboring Jessamine County district.

Detail:

Public, Virtual 9-12

530 Perryville Road
Harrodsburg, KY 40330

(859) 733-7120

District: Mercer County

SchoolDigger Rank:
253^rd of 290 Kentucky High Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 10.2

Number of students: 46

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.7%

Hispanic:

15.2%

Two or more races:

8.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 84.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Mercer Central ranks worse than 87.2% of high schools in Kentucky. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.24. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Mercer Central 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 (71.7%), Hispanic (15.2%), two or more races (8.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 84.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Mercer County School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mercer Central is 10.2, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Mercer County School District! (See more...)

Compare Mercer Central employs 4.5 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mercer Central:

SchoolDigger ranks Mercer Central 253^rd of 290 Kentucky public high schools. (See Mercer Central in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

White students:

Mercer County:

SchoolDigger ranks Mercer County 88^th of 159 Kentucky school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mercer Central

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Rank History for all students at Mercer Central

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2013	3.55	275^th	291	5.5%
2014	3.36	275^th	290	5.2%
2015	5.29	263^rd	295	10.8%
2019	12.55	234^th	285	17.9%
2021	16.09	229^th	267	14.2%
2022	5.11	256^th	271	5.5%
2023	8.90	246^th	276	10.9%
2024	9.24	253^rd	290	12.8%

See the entire list of Kentucky High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mercer Central

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2019	15.04	218^th	254	14.2%
2022	2.69	264^th	266	0.8%
2023	15.62	237^th	272	12.9%
2024	9.68	251^st	274	8.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Mercer Central

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	6.68	243^rd	261	6.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Mercer Central

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	2.57	255^th	257	0.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Mercer Central

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	KY State Percentile
2019	6.15	204^th	219	6.8%
2021	8.23	194^th	203	4.4%
2022	3.94	250^th	260	3.8%
2023	4.32	253^rd	264	4.2%
2024	5.23	258^th	273	5.5%

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

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Enrollment information for Mercer Central

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2011	14	0	0	0	1	15
2012	26	0	0	0	3	29
2013	34	1	0	0	3	38
2014	23	0	0	0	3	26
2015	22	0	0	0	1	23
2016	26	0	0	0	1	27
2017	20	0	0	1	1	22
2018	22	1	0	2	0	25
2019	32	0	0	0	3	35
2020	48	0	1	2	5	56
2021	33	1	0	5	3	42
2022	32	1	0	4	2	39
2023	37	0	0	6	2	45
2024	33	2	0	7	4	46

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 Mercer Central

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	15	2.5	6.0	73.3
2012	29	2.0	14.5	62.1
2013	38	2.0	19.0	65.8
2014	26	2.0	13.0	88.5
2015	23	2.0	11.5	73.9
2016	27	2.0	13.5	85.2
2017	22	2.0	11.0	54.5
2018	25	2.0	12.5	80
2019	35	2.0	17.5	71.4
2020	56	2.0	28.0	44.6
2021	42	2.0	21.0	76.2
2022	39	2.5	15.6	82.1
2023	45	2.5	18.0	77.8
2024	46	4.5	10.2	84.8

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 Mercer Central

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	15	2.5	6.0	73.3
2012	29	2.0	14.5	62.1
2013	38	2.0	19.0	65.8
2014	26	2.0	13.0	88.5
2015	23	2.0	11.5	73.9
2016	27	2.0	13.5	85.2
2017	22	2.0	11.0	54.5
2018	25	2.0	12.5	80
2019	35	2.0	17.5	71.4
2020	56	2.0	28.0	44.6
2021	42	2.0	21.0	76.2
2022	39	2.5	15.6	82.1
2023	45	2.5	18.0	77.8
2024	46	4.5	10.2	84.8

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mercer Central

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 234^th of 285 High schools	Ranks 246^th of 276 High schools	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	35	45	28.6%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	6
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	32	37	15.6%
Two or More Races	3	2	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	71.4%	77.8%	6.3%

Schools Near Mercer Central

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
Mercer County Day Treatment	Public	6-12	530 Perryville Road	Harrodsburg	40330	Mercer County	Mercer County	No	No	No	No	(859) 733-7120	12	1	12.0	75.0%	9 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Mercer Central	Public, Virtual	9-12	530 Perryville Road	Harrodsburg	40330	Mercer County	Mercer County	No	No	Yes	No	(859) 733-7120	46	5	10.2	84.8%	33 (71.7%)	2 (4.3%)	7 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.7%)	9.2	253^rd of 290 public high schools	12.8%		8.9	246^th of 276 public high schools	10.9%	7						11.0	11.0	5.0
Trailblazer Academy	Public	8-12	661 Tapp Rd	Harrodsburg	40330	Mercer County	Kentucky Technical System	No	No	No	No	(859) 734-9329	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Mercer County Senior High School	Public	9-12	1124 Moberly Rd	Harrodsburg	40330	Mercer County	Mercer County	No	No	No	No	(859) 733-7000	753	41	18.3	55.8%	620 (82.3%)	32 (4.2%)	53 (7.0%)	7 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (5.3%)	76.8	40^th of 290 public high schools	86.2%		67	62^nd of 276 public high schools	77.5%	22	46.0	56.0	64.0	49.0	49.0	46.0	36.0	49.0	$14,931	$604	$425	$1,029	$9,763	$2,213	$11,976
Boyle County High School	Public	9-12	1637 Perryville Rd	Danville	40422	Boyle County	Boyle County	No	No	No	No	(859) 236-5047	887	51	17.2	45.0%	766 (86.4%)	24 (2.7%)	45 (5.1%)	9 (1.0%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (4.4%)	94.1	8^th of 290 public high schools	97.2%		93	7^th of 276 public high schools	97.5%	1	53.0	60.0	79.0	61.0	64.0	67.0	56.0	63.0	$13,678	$329	$448	$777	$10,145	$2,755	$12,901
Boyle County Day Treatment	Public, Virtual	6-12	1637 Perryville Road	Danville	40422	Boyle County	Boyle County	No	No	Yes	No	(859) 236-6634	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Anchor Academy	Public, Virtual	6-12	115 E. Lexington Ave.	Danville	40422	Boyle County	Danville Independent	No	No	Yes	No	(859) 238-1300	38	4	9.5	44.7%	26 (68.4%)	5 (13.2%)	2 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (13.2%)	14.9	237^th of 290 public high schools	18.3%					(n/a)		18.0				31.0	0.0	23.0
Danville High School	Public	9-12	203 E. Lexington Ave.	Danville	40422	Boyle County	Danville Independent	No	No	No	No	(859) 936-8503	497	31	15.8	61.2%	262 (52.7%)	87 (17.5%)	69 (13.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (15.3%)	44	155^th of 290 public high schools	46.6%		49.4	129^th of 276 public high schools	53.3%	26	21.0	27.0	31.0	35.0	50.0	49.0	27.0	44.0	$18,417	$1,684	$695	$2,379	$11,992	$2,715	$14,707
The Providence School	Public	6-12	210 S. Lexington Ave	Wilmore	40390	Jessamine County	Jessamine County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 887-4600	150	27	5.6	82.7%	115 (76.7%)	8 (5.3%)	11 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	14 (9.3%)	7.7	260^th of 290 public high schools	10.3%		2.6	273^rd of 276 public high schools	1.1%	13				9.0		15.0	9.0	9.0
West Jessamine High School	Public	9-12	2101 Wilmore Rd	Nicholasville	40356	Jessamine County	Jessamine County	No	No	No	No	(859) 887-2421	1,349	72	18.6	44.6%	1,074 (79.6%)	84 (6.2%)	118 (8.7%)	19 (1.4%)	6 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	46 (3.4%)	69.3	71^st of 290 public high schools	75.5%		53.8	108^th of 276 public high schools	60.9%	37	39.0	45.0	47.0	43.0	49.0	56.0	44.0	53.0	$20,891	$1,120	$456	$1,575	$15,251	$2,804	$18,055

Frequently Asked Questions about Mercer Central

What district is Mercer Central in?

Mercer County

Is Mercer Central a good school?

Mercer Central ranks in the bottom 12.8% of Kentucky high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Mercer Central?

Students at Mercer Central are 72% White, 15% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 4% African American.

How many students attend Mercer Central?

In the 2023-24 school year, 46 students attended Mercer Central.

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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.