Most families try hard to buy and get settled in a new home over summer break, but often that’s just not an option.  Across town or across the country, I work with home buyers on the move all year long.  So in the spirit of all things back to school right now, here’s how to quickly get started with a school search in Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky.

The Big Picture

Growth equals change – and we have a lot of both in our area right now. I find even buyers who were born and raised in Bowling Green aren’t sure how many elementary schools there are now or what district those 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.

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, like Cumberland Trace Elementary in 2021 and Jennings Creek Elementary in 2018.  And this year, Rich pond Elementary School began using their brand new facility and Bowling Green High School returned to both new and existing sections while construction continues.  Other projects are in motion in both systems to keep up with steady growth in the community.

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 always 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 have changed over time and more changes are possible 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.  Hopefully, that will be less of an issue moving forward.  But 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 and can be found across the region. Bowling Green, Glasgow and Franklin have quite a few, 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?  Just give me a quick call or shoot me an email at dawnlong@sckyrealestate.com.  I’m happy to help!