Editing Ashland, Kentucky (section)

==Education==
[[File:ACTC Main.jpg|thumb|Ashland Community and Technical College]]
All public schools within city limits are operated by the [[Ashland Independent School District]]. Public schools outside of city limits are operated by the Boyd County School District and the Fairview Independent School District. Some portions of the city limits are in the Boyd and Fairview school districts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21019_boyd/DC20SD_C21019.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Boyd County, KY|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-07-24}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21019_boyd/DC20SD_C21019_SD2MS.txt Text list] - For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see: {{cite web|url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/lrc/publications/ResearchReports/RR415.pdf |title=Appendix B: Maps Of Independent School Districts In Operation In FY 2014-FY 2015 Using 2005 Tax District Boundaries – Ashland ISD / Fairview ISD |work=Research Report No. 415 – Kentucky's Independent School Districts: A Primer |publisher=Office of Education Accountability, Legislative Research Commission |location=Frankfort, KY |pages=87 (Ashland) and 108 (Fairview) (PDF p. 101, 122/174)|date=September 15, 2015 }}</ref>

Ashland has five public elementary schools, Hager Elementary, Oakview Elementary, Crabbe Elementary School, Poage Elementary and Charles Russell Elementary. Hatcher Elementary closed its doors in Spring 2010. Its students and much of its resources were consolidated with the other elementary schools in Fall 2010.<ref name="hatcher_closing">[http://dailyindependent.com/local/x712227176/Goodbye-to-Hatcher], Mike, James. "Goodbye to Hatcher." ''The Independent''. May 30, 2010. Access date: June 5, 2010.</ref> The former Hatcher Elementary building now serves as the Ashland Independent Schools Central Office.

There is one public middle school, Ashland Middle School, formerly known as George M. Verity  Middle School and Putnam Junior High School.<ref>[http://www.dailyindependent.com/news/local_news/article_d3a5fc4e-2b26-5666-aeff-dd5edc6eb68c.html], Maynard, Mark. "Board votes to change Verity to Ashland Middle School." ''The Independent''. December 19, 2013. Access date: August 17, 2014.</ref><ref>[http://www.dailyindependent.com/news/article_e88c5a0a-22f5-11e4-8855-001a4bcf887a.html], James, Mike. "It's Ashland Middle School now." ''The Independent''. August 13, 2014. Access date: August 17, 2014.</ref> The campus is home to Putnam Stadium which serves as the home field for Ashland Tomcats high school and middle school football.

One public high school serves the city of Ashland: [[Paul G. Blazer High School]], named after philanthropist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://exploreuk.uky.edu/catalog/xt79057crz24#page/2/mode/1up|title=Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, 1966-12-dec13.|website=exploreuk.uky.edu}}</ref> and founder of [[Ashland Inc.]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kykinfolk.com/kyboyd/general/Speech/1956Speech.pdf |title="E Pluribus Unum!" "One Out of Many" An Oil Company Grows Through Acquisitions, An Address at Lexington by member Paul G. Blazer, American Newcomen Society, copyright 1956 (pages 5 & 6) |access-date=March 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201150913/http://kykinfolk.com/kyboyd/general/Speech/1956Speech.pdf |archive-date=December 1, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Paul G. Blazer]]. The high school is home to the Ashland Tomcats and Kittens athletic teams. The Ashland Tomcats football program has achieved 11 state championships. The Ashland Tomcats (boys') basketball program has accomplished 1 national championship, 4 state championships, 32 regional championships, and 55 district championships. The Ashland Tomcats and Kittens (girls') soccer teams play at the Ashland Soccer Complex at the high school. The school's marching band competes in the AAA class of the [http://www.kmea.org/ Kentucky Music Educators Association](KMEA). The marching band is commonly called "The Pride of Blazer" for its excellent performance in many KMEA marching band competitions.

[[Westwood, Boyd County, Kentucky|Westwood]], an unincorporated community just outside the Ashland city limits, is served by the Fairview Independent School District. The district operates Fairview High School, grades 6–12, and Fairview Elementary School, grades K-5.

The Boyd County Public Schools serves the rural part of Ashland and the remainder of Boyd County. It has four elementary schools, those being Ponderosa Elementary, Cannonsburg Elementary, Catlettsburg Elementary and Summit Elementary. Boyd County Middle School serves grades 6–8, while Boyd County High School serves grades 9–12.

The two private schools serving the Ashland area are the [https://holyfamilyashland.weebly.com/ Holy Family School] and the Rose Hill Christian School. Holy Family is affiliated with Holy Family Catholic Church and currently offers K–12 education. Rose Hill is affiliated with the Rose Hill Baptist Church and also offers K–12.

Post-secondary educational opportunities include [[Ashland Community and Technical College]], which has multiple campuses within the city. [[Morehead State University]] also has a satellite campus located in Ashland.

The main branch of the Boyd County [[Public Library]] is located in Ashland.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kdla.ky.gov/librarians/pages/librarydirectory.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111202017/https://kdla.ky.gov/librarians/pages/librarydirectory.aspx | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 January 2019 | title=Kentucky Public Library Directory | publisher=Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives | access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>