Public schools in Paducah, KY
19 open public schools with an address in Paducah, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
19
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
8,880
19 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.2:1
Kentucky median 15:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Paducah public schools
The federal directory lists 19 public schools in Paducah, KY: 9 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, 4 combined or other. The 19 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 8,880 students, an average of 467 per school. The largest campus is McCracken County High School (1,882 students), and the largest elementary school is Clark Elementary School (615).
McCracken County operates the most schools here (11), and 2 regular districts have at least one Paducah 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 15.2:1, similar to 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.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 58% 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 Paducah
Elementary schools in Paducah
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark Elementary School Paducah Independent | KG–05 | 615 | 16.2:1 | |
| Concord Elementary School McCracken County | PK–05 | 606 | 15.5:1 | |
| Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School McCracken County | PK–03 | 498 | 15.6:1 | |
| Lone Oak Elementary School McCracken County | PK–03 | 495 | 15.6:1 | |
| Lone Oak Intermediate School McCracken County | 04–05 | 437 | 16.8:1 | |
| McNabb Elementary School Paducah Independent | KG–05 | 334 | 11.9:1 | |
| Morgan Elementary School Paducah Independent | KG–05 | 369 | 12.4:1 | |
| Reidland Elementary School McCracken County | PK–03 | 548 | 14.4:1 | |
| Reidland Intermediate School McCracken County | 04–05 | 228 | 14.1:1 |
Middle schools in Paducah
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Oak Middle School McCracken County | 06–08 | 702 | 14.8:1 | |
| Paducah Middle School Paducah Independent | 06–08 | 632 | 15.3:1 | |
| Reidland Middle School McCracken County | 06–08 | 350 | 14.9:1 |
High schools in Paducah
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCracken County High School McCracken County | 09–12 | 1,882 | 18.3:1 | |
| Paducah Area Technology Center Kentucky Tech System · Career and Technical School | 08–12 | 0 | — | |
| Paducah Tilghman High School Paducah Independent | 09–12 | 860 | 15.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Paducah
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choices Educational Center Paducah Independent · Alternative School | KG–12 | 42 | 10:1 | |
| McCracken Regional School McCracken County · Alternative School | 04–12 | 31 | 31:1 | |
| Paducah Head Start Preschool Paducah Independent | PK–PK | 251 | 13.9:1 | |
| West KY Technical College McCracken County · Career and Technical School | UG–UG | 0 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White65.1%
- Hispanic7.4%
- Black17.4%
- Asian1.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial8.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 17 Paducah schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (8,880 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Paducah
How many public schools are in Paducah, KY?
The current NCES directory lists 19 open public schools with a location address in Paducah: 9 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 8,880 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Paducah?
Schools with an address in Paducah belong to 3 education agencies, led by McCracken County (11 schools), Paducah Independent (7 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 Paducah?
McCracken County High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Paducah, with 1,882 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Paducah?
No school with an address in Paducah 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 Paducah schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Paducah public schools is 15.2:1, similar to 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 Paducah 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