All the following options are available to Fayette County residents. 
To search for unique opportunities in other counties, please visit your public school website.
Jessamine, Madison, Scott, Woodford
If you would like to add a specialty school option for Fayette or a surrounding county, please tell us about it here!
What the public school web site doesn't immediately highlight are AMAZING specialty options available.  The Fayette County offers liberal arts schools, specialty programs for academically gifted students, science and technology programs, as well as Spanish immersion schools.  The entry process starts early, so get a jump on things by doing a little research here!

Some interesting and often overlooked Fayette County School extras are:

*NEW* Virtual Learning: 
  • Virtual Learning Academy-- accredited, guided, paced curriculum, 24 hour access, directed by Fayette teachers, courses for K-12

Magnet Schools: 
  • Dixie Elementary-- Magnet school, student chosen by lottery or must live in required area to attend, Dixie also offers courses in the Chinese language.
  • Maxwell Spanish Immersion & Liberty Spanish Immersion--Starting in Kindergarten, students chosen by lottery, Spanish Immersion school utilizing a partial-immersion model where students spend one half of their day learning core subjects (like math and science) in Spanish and the other half of the day in English.  As children grow, they can continue the program at Bryan Station Middle and High School.

Accelerated Programs:  Children are usually placed according to national standardized tests and supporting documentation.​

Specialty Programs:         Grades 4-8, Liberal Arts Specialization, students must apply and tryout August through October the year before                 possible entry 
        Grades 9-12, SCAPA at Lafayette High
    From the FCPS web site:  "Students who are accepted into the program have a special talent or interest in the arts         and receive instruction in visual arts, band, strings, voice, piano, ballet, contemporary dance, drama and creative         writing in addition to the state's core academic curriculum."
  • Carter G Woodson Academy--Grades 6-10, All male school focused on teaching through the lens of African American culture and history.  
  • Frederick Douglass Biomedical Program-- From the FCPS web site-- New for 2018-19: The Project Lead the Way biomedical sciences program is a rigorous path that engages students in high-level critical inquiry through problem-based instruction and discovery learning. Students take advanced courses and can earn college credit hours through a combination of dual credit and Advanced Placement classes.
  • Academy of Information Technology-- located at Bryan Station High School.  From the IT Academy web site, "Students will study topics such as web design, digital video & media, programming, graphic design, database and computer systems.  Along with focused coursework, students will also have opportunities to participate in a paid internship between their junior and senior years, as well as participate in field trips, guest speakers, job shadowing, mentoring, community projects, and more."
  • StationARTS--Located at Bryan Station High School, open to all Fayette County students, but students must apply to the program.
  • The Arts at Ashland
  • Pre-Engineering Program at Leestown Middle School and  Lafayette High School
  • The Learning Center at Linlee--Grades 9-12, nontraditional school setting with smaller class sizes and more hands on instruction.
  • STEAM Academy-- Expanding to 9th-12th Grades, students chosen by lottery, the program will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with an added arts component, the schoolwork in a project based structure, self-paced, and determined by each student’s ability and motivation, soon to be housed on the University of Kentucky campus
  • The Stables--From the Stables website-- Grades 7-12, nontraditional school setting, designed with academics in mind, the Stables also provides opportunities to gain work competencies and vocational skills. Through project-based learning and work experiences, students assume greater responsibility for their education and are inspired to be continual lifelong learners.
  • Opportunity Middle College--Grades 11-12, School is located on Bluegrass Community Technical College's Leestown campus and allows students to take regular high school classes as well as college courses for credit.  This program focuses on underserved youth, including low-income and first-generation college students.  For more information on middle colleges and dual credit, click here.
  • Locust Trace AgriScience Farm--This program offers career and technical instruction for high school students who work hands-on with animals, plants and farm equipment on an 82-acre site off Leestown Road.  This program focuses on sustainability.
  • Fayette Technical Centers--Offer programs including automotive technology, diesel technology, collision repair, advanced gaming technology, multi-media production, fire/EMS, law enforcement and emergency management.
  • Army JROTC--Located at Henry Clay High School
  • Air Force JROTC--Located at Bryan Station High School
If you would like to add a specialty school option for Fayette or a surrounding county, please tell us about it here!