Here’s how FCPS ranks among US News’ top high schools — plus the 25 best in KY
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- U.S. News ranked 18,000 public high schools in its 2025-26 national report.
- Lexington’s Lafayette and Paul Laurence Dunbar placed in Kentucky’s top 25.
- Dupont Manual High School in Louisville earned the No. 1 spot statewide.
U.S. News & World Report, a popular resource for education analysis and ratings, has released its 2025-26 Best High Schools report, placing two Lexington high schools among the top 25 performers in Kentucky.
In its latest ranking, published Aug. 19, U.S. News assessed almost 24,000 public high schools, ranking about 18,000. To craft its rankings, U.S. News uses several factors, including college readiness and curriculum, performance on state exams and graduation rates.
In this year’s report, Fayette County Public Schools’ Lafayette High School and Paul Laurence Dunbar High School received high marks. James McMillin, chief school leadership officer at FCPS, credited dedicated staff.
“This achievement is a direct result of the exemplary leadership and phenomenal teaching at both high schools. It proves that when we invest in and empower our educators, they, in turn, empower our students to achieve greatness,” McMillin wrote in an emailed statement via a district spokesperson.
Among the top 100 Kentucky high schools ranked by U.S. News, FCPS’ Henry Clay High School was No. 30, Frederick Douglass High School at No. 51 and Bryan Station High School at No. 67.
Here’s where they fall among the top 25 public high schools in Kentucky, according to U.S. News & World Report.
US News’ best public high schools in Kentucky 2025-26
No. 25: Graves County High School
Overall Score: 84.1/100
Location: Mayfield
Graves County High School has 1,123 students. Its Advanced Placement (AP) participation rate is 38%. The high school has a total minority enrollment of 17%, and 49% of its students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 24: Eastern High School
Overall Score: 84.37/100
Location: Middletown
Eastern High School has 1,870 students. Its AP participation rate is 51%. Total minority enrollment is 47%, and 35% of its students are economically disadvantaged. The high school is part of Jefferson County Public Schools.
No. 23: Pulaski County High School
Overall Score: 84.5/100
Location: Somerset
Pulaski County High School has 1,171 students. Its AP participation rate is 39%. The school’s total minority enrollment is 10%, and 57% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 22: South Laurel High School
Overall Score: 84.96/100
Location: London
South Laurel High School has 1,118 students. Its AP participation rate is 41%. Total minority enrollment is 7%, with 64% of its students reported as being economically disadvantaged.
No. 21: Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Overall Score: 85.69/100
Location: Lexington
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School has 1,886 students. Its AP participation rate is 42%. Total minority enrollment is 60%, and 42% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 20: Southwestern High School
Overall Score: 87.36/100
Location: Somerset
Southwestern High School has 1,197 students. Its AP participation rate is 36%. The total minority enrollment is 14%, and 65% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 19: South Warren High School
Overall Score: 88.32/100
Location: Bowling Green
South Warren High School has 1,521 students. Its AP participation rate is 38%. Total minority enrollment is 27%, and 37% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 18: Corbin High School
Overall Score: 88.44/100
Location: Corbin
Corbin High School has 813 students. Its AP participation rate is 36%. The total minority enrollment is 7%, and 56% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 17: Glasgow High School
Overall Score: 88.65/100
Location: Glasgow
Glasgow High School has 611 students. The AP participation rate is 68%. The total minority enrollment is 41%, with 58% of students classified as economically disadvantaged.
No. 16: Greenwood High School
Overall Score: 88.72/100
Location: Bowling Green
Greenwood High School has 1,420 students. Its AP participation rate is 29%. Total minority enrollment is 36%, and 42% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 15: Lafayette High School
Overall Score: 90.11/100
Location: Lexington
Lafayette High School has 2,373 students. Its AP participation rate is 48%. The total minority enrollment is 37%, and 36% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 14: Green County High School
Overall Score: 90.17/100
Location: Greensburg
Green County High School has 503 students. Its AP participation rate is 42%. The total minority enrollment is 8%, and 58% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 13: Atherton High School
Overall Score: 91.01/100
Location: Louisville
Atherton High School has 1,491 students. The AP participation rate is 92%. Total minority enrollment is 37%, and 38% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 12: Ballard High School
Overall Score: 91.39/100
Location: Louisville
Ballard High School has 2,021 students. Its AP participation rate is 66%. Total minority enrollment is 47%, and 33% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 11: Pikeville High School
Overall Score: 91.45/100
Location: Pikeville
Pikeville High School has 349 students in grades seven through 12. Its AP participation rate is 46%. The total minority enrollment is 10%, and 31% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 10: Barbourville City School
Overall Score: 92.03/100
Location: Barbourville
Barbourville City School has 216 students in preschool through 12th grade. Its AP participation rate is 43%. Total minority enrollment is 5%, and 72% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 9: Louisville Male High School
Overall Score: 92.83/100
Louisville Male High School has 1,901 students. Its AP participation rate is 61%. The total minority enrollment is 59%, and 43% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 8: Oldham County High School
Overall Score: 93.77/100
Location: La Grange
Oldham County High School has 1,631 students. Its AP participation rate is 58%. The total minority enrollment is 19%, and 27 of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 7: Murray High School
Overall Score: 93.78/100
Location: Murray
Murray High School has 584 students. The AP participation rate is 66%. Total minority enrollment is 26%, and 52% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 6: Highlands High School
Overall Score: 95.17/100
Location: Fort Thomas
Highlands High School has 1,021 students. Its AP participation rate is 75%. Total minority enrollment is 11%. The percentage of economically disadvantaged students is not available.
No. 5: Beechwood High School
Overall Score: 96.02/100
Location: Fort Mitchell
Beechwood High School has 504 students in grades 7 through 12. Its AP participation rate is 81%. Total minority enrollment is 14%. The percentage of economically disadvantaged students is not available.
No. 4: South Oldham High School
Overall Score: 96.54/100
Location: Crestwood
South Oldham High School has 1,258 students. The AP participation rate is 69%. The total minority enrollment is 16%, and 19% of its students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 3: J. Graham Brown School
Overall Score: 97.94/100
Location: Louisville
J. Graham Brown School has 244 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It has an AP participation rate of 91%. The total minority enrollment is 42%, and 27% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 2: North Oldham High School
Overall Score: 98.37/100
Location: Goshen
North Oldham High School has 980 students. The AP participation rate is 75%. Its total minority enrollment is 16%, and 12% of students are economically disadvantaged.
No. 1: Dupont Manual High School
Overall Score: 99.24/100
Location: Louisville
Dupont Manual High School has 1,920 students. Its AP participation rate is 80%. The total minority enrollment is 50%, with 23% of students classified as economically disadvantaged.
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