Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, 1600 Man o' War Blvd.: grades 9 to 12; 1,828 students in 2024-25, rated Green by Kentucky for 2025-26.
Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, Fayette County Public Schools’ high schools page, magnet and specialized programs page, 2026-27 calendar (PDF), the Kentucky Department of Education’s 2025-26 accountability data, the federal NCES school directory, the district’s attendance zone maps and the KHSAA.
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is a Fayette County Public Schools high school for grades 9 to 12 at 1600 Man o’ War Blvd., Lexington.
The district lists these programs at the school on its magnet and specialized programs page:
- Math, Science and Technology Center (MSTC): a gifted and talented STEM program with fast-paced courses and an extended-day class
Who to call
- Front office: 859-422-3546, 1600 Man o’ War Blvd.
- School website: pld.fcps.net
- Which school is my address zoned for? The district’s SchoolSite Locator
- Enrolling: Enrollment in FCPS, then the school’s registrar; out-of-area requests, 859-422-0320
- Buses: register as a rider each year; routes are on the district’s School Bus Portal; bus-tracking app questions, 859-422-2877
- District office: Fayette County Public Schools, 450 Park Place, 859-422-4100
| Address | 1600 Man o’ War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40513 |
| Phone | 859-422-3546 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| School day | 8:25 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. |
| Run by | Fayette County Public Schools |
| State school code | 165200 |
Principal
Principal Scott Loscheider, according to the school’s website on Oct. 16, 2026.
Enrollment and teachers
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School had 1,828 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 103 full-time-equivalent teachers, about 18 students per teacher, according to the federal NCES school directory. That is the latest federal count.
State report card
Kentucky rates schools on state tests in reading and math and in science, social studies and writing, English learner progress, school climate and safety and, for high schools, postsecondary readiness and graduation. Each score combines this year’s results with the change from last year, and ratings run, from highest to lowest, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
2025-26 overall rating: Green, with an overall score of 74.5. Fayette County Public Schools’ high schools as a whole rated Green (71.8); statewide, high schools rated Yellow (67.5).
| Indicator | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and math | 69.4 | Green |
| Science, social studies and writing | 67.0 | Blue |
| English learner progress | 30.0 | Green |
| Quality of school climate and safety | 64.4 | Green |
| Postsecondary readiness | 101.4 | Blue |
| Graduation rate | 92.6 | Yellow |
On the 2025-26 Kentucky Summative Assessment, 55% of students scored proficient or distinguished in reading (district 53%, state 49%) and 49% in math (district 42%, state 39%).
The state lists the school for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI), a federal classification, based on results for English learners.
Four-year graduation rate: 93.7% in the 2025-26 state file (district 93.9%, state 94.1%).
The full report card, with test results by student group, attendance and teacher data, is on the school’s page on the Kentucky School Report Card. All figures above are from the Kentucky Department of Education’s 2025-26 assessment and accountability datasets, published Oct. 14, 2026.
Attendance zone and feeder schools
Every Fayette County address is zoned to one elementary, one middle and one high school. Look up an address on the district’s SchoolSite Locator.
About 17,751 residential addresses fall in the Paul Laurence Dunbar High zone. By middle school zone, those homes are in Beaumont Middle (47%), Leestown Middle (39%), Winburn Middle (10%) and Jessie Clark Middle (4%). We matched the district’s current attendance zone maps with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s residential address points. The locator is the final word for any single address.
Families who want a school outside their zone can ask through the district’s out-of-area request process, which the district says is open only in “extremely limited” circumstances.
Calendar and school day
The school day runs 8:25 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., according to the district’s high schools page.
Paul Laurence Dunbar High follows the district’s 2026-27 calendar (PDF), which the school board approved June 23, 2025. Coming up:
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day; no classes
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, 2027: winter break; Monday, Jan. 4, 2027, is also a no-class day, and students return Tuesday, Jan. 5
- Monday, Jan. 18, 2027: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Monday, Feb. 15, 2027: Presidents Day
- Friday, March 19, 2027: no classes; possible weather make-up day
- April 5-9, 2027: spring break; Monday, April 12, is also a no-class day
- Tuesday, May 18, 2027: primary election; no classes
- Wednesday, May 26, 2027: last day of classes, pending weather make-up days
Live dates and school events are on the district calendar.
Sports and activities
Paul Laurence Dunbar High plays football in Class 6A, District 7 with Henry Clay, Lafayette and Tates Creek in the KHSAA’s alignment for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Its basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball teams are in the 11th Region, 43rd District, according to the school’s KHSAA directory listing. The teams are the Bulldogs.
The KHSAA directory lists the football stadium as Jon R. Akers Stadium, seating 5,000.
Varsity teams in the KHSAA directory: boys’ and girls’ archery, baseball, boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ bowling, cheerleading, boys’ and girls’ cross country, football, boys’ and girls’ golf, boys’ and girls’ indoor track, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, boys’ and girls’ soccer, softball, boys’ and girls’ swimming, boys’ and girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ track and field, boys’ and girls’ volleyball and boys’ and girls’ wrestling.
Game times and results are on our Friday night football page and the scoreboard.
More
- The school’s own website
- Paul Laurence Dunbar High School on the Kentucky School Report Card
- Fayette County Public Schools’ high schools page and magnet and specialized programs
- Every public school in Lexington, with zones and report cards
- Our Lexington schools guide for the calendar, enrollment and the school board
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Paul Laurence Dunbar High serve?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High serves grades 9 to 12, according to Fayette County Public Schools.
What is Paul Laurence Dunbar High’s Kentucky school rating?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High was rated Green, with an overall score of 74.5, in Kentucky’s 2025-26 school accountability results. Blue is the highest of the five ratings and Red the lowest.
How do I know if my address is zoned for Paul Laurence Dunbar High?
Enter the address in Fayette County Public Schools’ SchoolSite Locator, or call the district at 859-422-4100.
What time does Paul Laurence Dunbar High start?
The school day runs 8:25 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., according to the district’s school directory.
What football district is Paul Laurence Dunbar High in?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High plays in Class 6A, District 7, in the KHSAA alignment for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
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