Central Hardin High School — Elizabethtown, KY School Guide

Central Hardin High School offers a broad academic program that serves its large and diverse student body well. The school provides a full menu of Advanced Placement courses including AP English, AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP U.S. History, and several others. Students can also take dual credit classes through partnerships with Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, earning both high school and college credit simultaneously. Career and technical education is a strong component of the Central Hardin experience, with pathways available in health sciences, engineering and technology, business, agriculture, and skilled trades. The school's career center helps students explore post-secondary options, whether that means a four-year university, community college, military service, or entering the workforce with an industry credential. Extracurricular academic programs include Academic Team, speech and debate, FBLA, and various STEM clubs. Central Hardin regularly sends graduates to the University of Kentucky, Western Kentucky University, University of Louisville, and colleges across the country. The school also has a robust special education department and support services for students with individualized education plans.

As a Purple Star designated school within the Hardin County district, Central Hardin High School has established protocols specifically designed to support students from military families. The school enrolls a significant number of students whose parents serve at Fort Knox, and the staff understands the realities of military life — including mid-year transfers, parental deployments, and the social challenges of frequent moves. A military family liaison is available to help new students with enrollment, course placement, and connecting with extracurricular activities. Central Hardin participates in the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which protects transferring students from losing academic credit or being unfairly penalized during school transitions. The JROTC program at Central Hardin provides a familiar environment for students who may have participated in similar programs at previous duty stations. Coaches and activity sponsors are generally accommodating of military-related absences and understand the importance of helping military-connected students feel welcome quickly.

Central Hardin High School draws students from several of Elizabethtown's most popular neighborhoods. Families in Pear Orchard are zoned for Central Hardin, as are those in Helmwood Heights, Foxborough Estates, and the Ring Road area. The Cedars and Thousand Oaks neighborhoods also typically feed into Central Hardin. The school's location in Cecilia means a short drive from south Elizabethtown — typically 10 to 15 minutes depending on the specific neighborhood. For families looking at homes specifically to attend Central Hardin, the south and east quadrants of Elizabethtown offer the most options across a range of price points.