Public schools in Bowling Green, KY
42 open public schools with an address in Bowling Green, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
42
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
21,523
41 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.1:1
Kentucky median 15:1
Charter schools
0
1 virtual
An overview of Bowling Green public schools
The federal directory lists 42 public schools in Bowling Green, KY: 18 elementary, 5 middle, 12 high, 7 combined or other. The 41 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 21,523 students, an average of 525 per school. The largest campus is South Warren High School (1,548 students), and the largest elementary school is Rich Pond Elementary (990).
Warren County operates the most schools here (31), and 2 regular districts have at least one Bowling Green campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.1:1, higher than the statewide school median of 15:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 12 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 13 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 61% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Bowling Green
Elementary schools in Bowling Green
18| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briarwood Elementary School Warren County | PK–06 | 685 | 14:1 | |
| Bristow Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 699 | 16.9:1 | |
| Cumberland Trace Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 699 | 16.5:1 | |
| Dishman McGinnis Elementary School Bowling Green Independent | KG–05 | 506 | 14.6:1 | |
| Jennings Creek Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 852 | 15.5:1 | |
| Jody Richards Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 754 | 16.4:1 | |
| Lost River Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 856 | 17.5:1 | |
| Parker-Bennett-Curry School Bowling Green Independent | KG–05 | 400 | 12:1 | |
| Plano Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 750 | 17.3:1 | |
| Potter Gray Elementary Bowling Green Independent | KG–05 | 499 | 18.4:1 | |
| Rich Pond Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 990 | 17.7:1 | |
| Richardsville Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 446 | 16.2:1 | |
| Rivendell Elementary Warren County | KG–08 | 34 | 34:1 | |
| Rockfield Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 674 | 16.2:1 | |
| T C Cherry Elementary School Bowling Green Independent | PK–05 | 431 | 16:1 | |
| W R McNeill Elementary School Bowling Green Independent | KG–05 | 433 | 15.4:1 | |
| Warren Elementary Warren County | KG–06 | 714 | 14.4:1 | |
| William H. Natcher Elementary Warren County | PK–06 | 713 | 14.7:1 |
Middle schools in Bowling Green
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green Junior High Bowling Green Independent | 06–08 | 1,042 | 18:1 | |
| Drakes Creek Middle School Warren County | 07–08 | 704 | 16:1 | |
| Henry F. Moss Middle School Warren County | 07–08 | 580 | 13.8:1 | |
| South Warren Middle School Warren County | 07–08 | 805 | 18.7:1 | |
| Warren East Middle School Warren County | 07–08 | 491 | 14.9:1 |
High schools in Bowling Green
12| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon Academy Warren County · Virtual | 06–12 | 137 | 34.3:1 | |
| Bowling Green High School Bowling Green Independent | 09–12 | 1,377 | 17.8:1 | |
| Bowling Green Learning Center Bowling Green Independent · Alternative School | 06–12 | 30 | 6:1 | |
| Greenwood High School Warren County | 09–12 | 1,451 | 18.9:1 | |
| Lighthouse Academy Warren County · Alternative School | 09–12 | 41 | 3.4:1 | |
| Rivendell High School Warren County | 09–12 | 59 | 11.8:1 | |
| South Warren High School Warren County | 09–12 | 1,548 | 19.1:1 | |
| Warren Central High School Warren County | 09–12 | 1,070 | 15.5:1 | |
| Warren Co. Area Technology Center Kentucky Tech System · Career and Technical School | 08–12 | 0 | — | |
| Warren County Day Treatment Warren County · Alternative School | 07–12 | 21 | 10.5:1 | |
| Warren East High School Warren County | 09–12 | 967 | 17.3:1 | |
| Warren Regional Juvenile Detention Ctr Bowling Green Independent · Alternative School | 06–12 | 35 | 11.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Bowling Green
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green Technical College Warren County · Career and Technical School | UG–UG | 0 | — | |
| Childrens Crisis Stabilization Unit Bowling Green Independent · Alternative School | KG–12 | 12 | 12:1 | |
| Early Learning Academy Warren County | PK–PK | — | — | |
| Jackson Academy Warren County · Alternative School | 03–12 | 18 | 18:1 | |
| Kentucky Advanced Technology Center Warren County · Career and Technical School | UG–UG | 0 | — | |
| KY Advanced Tech Center Warren County · Career and Technical School | UG–UG | 0 | — | |
| Ky TECH - Bowling Green Regional Tech Center Warren County · Career and Technical School | UG–UG | 0 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White52.6%
- Hispanic15.6%
- Black14.1%
- Asian9.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander1.6%
- Multiracial6%
Enrollment-weighted across 36 Bowling Green schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (21,523 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Bowling Green
How many public schools are in Bowling Green, KY?
The current NCES directory lists 42 open public schools with a location address in Bowling Green: 18 elementary, 5 middle, 12 high, 7 combined or other. Together they reported 21,523 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Bowling Green?
Schools with an address in Bowling Green belong to 3 education agencies, led by Warren County (31 schools), Bowling Green Independent (10 schools), Kentucky Tech System (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Bowling Green?
South Warren High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Bowling Green, with 1,548 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Bowling Green?
No school with an address in Bowling Green is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Kentucky.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Bowling Green schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Bowling Green public schools is 16.1:1, higher than the Kentucky school median of 15:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Bowling Green guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Kentucky cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Kentucky cities