Every year between March and October, families set out to buy and settle in a new home without interrupting school schedules. Most will do their best to do it all at once during summer break, but often that’s just not possible.  Across town or across the country, I work with home buyers on the move all year long.  I want them to feel confident and happy with their choices long after closing day.  My strategy?  Provide exceptional service. Getting them started with a school search for the Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky region is always a key step in their journey.

Growth Equals Change

We continue to have a great deal of growth in our community, so this post is an update to one shared in August 2022 to help keep up.  Most people I know who were born and raised in Bowling Green aren’t sure how many elementary schools there are now or what district those “feeder schools” go to for middle and high school.  So whether you’ve lived locally for years or are relocating from out of state, getting a basic overview is an essential first step if you’re buying a new home.

I included a School Finder tool on my site to help make the process easier for all my clients.  I want them to have one, familiar place to quickly search the region by city or county to see where schools are located and how to contact them.  Schools – including a growing number of private programs – will pull up by name both on the Map tab and on a list under School tab. I use GreatSchools.org because it’s a strong national assessment that uses similar but more in-depth information to help my clients understand the scoring system used by our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS).  Information can be extensive and is updated regularly to help buyers research options to the extent they feel is needed.  Here’s a link to get started: https://www.sckyrealestate.com/school-finder/.

Bowling Green / Warren County School Districts

There are two public school systems in Bowling Green/Warren County:  Warren County Public Schools (currently the fourth largest district in Kentucky) and Bowling Green Independent Schools.

Several schools began using new facilities in recent years.  In 2022, Richpond Elementary School began using their brand-new facility and Bowling Green High School (BGHS) returned to both new and existing sections while construction continued through 2023. Cumberland Trace Elementary opened in 2021 and Jennings Creek Elementary in 2018.  And recently, WCPS announced two elementary schools are projected to open Fall 2025.  As of today, WCPS reports construction for the one intended to replace existing facility for Warren Elementary (off Morgantown Road) is already underway.  And construction for the brand-new facility off Nashville Road in the Woodburn area will begin soon.  WCPS also broke ground in October 2023 on a new IMPACT Center for Leadership and Innovation (Grades 9-12) on Cumberland Trace Road.

BGIS reports the BGHS facility is now complete but the addition of their new facilities to house their Technology and Daycare programs continue with plans to open early 2025.

While the city school district is not expected to change, WCPS has indicated a redistricting of some kind may be indicated with the opening of those schools. Anyone interested in more details about current projects should contact the school district offices.

Bowling Green / Warren County School Attendance Zones

Both school BG/WC districts have formally defined zones for attendance. Warren County completed its last review and redistricting in 2021 and others are possible if not expected with continued growth in population. Here are links as of today’s post date:

Warren County Public Schools Area Attendance Zones

Bowling Green Independent Schools District Map

Surrounding Counties

I also routinely serve outlying counties that help make up South Central Kentucky.  Because Bowling Green/Warren County is the largest community in the region, outlying counties are generally less populated and more rural.  Some will have more school options than others, so I recommend searching by city and county name to get the full picture.  Here are the nine counties that border Bowling Green/Warren County:

Scottsville / Allen County

Glasgow / Barren County

Morgantown / Butler County

Brownsville / Edmonson County

Munfordville / Hart County

Russellville / Logan County

Edmonton / Metcalfe County

Tompkinsville / Monroe

Franklin / Simpson

“Out of District” Requests

Buyers are ultimately responsible for determining which school is the best match for their needs and for confirming the school district of the property they buy.  As such, I want my clients to be knowledgeable and prepared before making an offer.  That’s why I routinely share my School Finder and other resources at the beginning of their search.  I also strongly recommend my clients call the school district directly with any questions before making an offer on a property.  This is especially true if they think they may want to buy a home in one district but want their child to attend a school in another district.  I get this question all the time, so it’s important to mention policies and options for “out of district” requests do and have changed with continued community growth.

Reliable Internet

Some schools in the region reportedly struggled at least initially with reliable internet to support virtual school during the pandemic.  While generally no longer considered an issue, I still recommend calling the district for details if that’s a concern or item on your Must Have list.

Private Schools

Private schools are also listed on my School Finder tool. Bowling Green, Glasgow and Franklin have several, including Montessori programs. Their rating will likely be different, but it’s a great place to start when exploring options.

Beyond High School

While this post is intended to focus on K-12 programs, Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky is also fortunate to be the home of  Western Kentucky University and Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College.  There are other higher learning programs located in the region, too, and are listed by city/county searches.

Raise Your Hand!

Planning to buy a home in the region and have questions?  This School Search for Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky is just one of the many ways I will help you make the best decision for you and your loved ones.  Just give me a quick call or shoot me an email at dawnlong@sckyrealestate.com.  I’m happy to help!