Frederick Douglass High School: Lexington's Newest Public High School and a Football Powerhouse

Frederick Douglass High School is the newest public high school in Lexington, opened in August 2017 to relieve overcrowding at Bryan Station and Henry Clay. In just eight years, the Broncos have built one of the strongest football programs in Kentucky, including a state championship and three consecutive Paul Hornung Award winners (Kentucky's top high school football player) from 2020 through 2022. This guide covers the school's history, programs, athletics, and which Lexington neighborhoods feed into it.

If you're researching FCPS more broadly, start with the Lexington Schools Guide. If you're researching specific neighborhoods, the neighborhoods section covers which neighborhoods feed which schools.

Quick Facts

• Address: 2000 Winchester Road, Lexington, KY 40509
• District: Fayette County Public Schools
• Established: August 2017 (newest of FCPS's six traditional high schools)
• Mascot: Broncos
• Colors: Keeneland green and orange
• Principal: Lester Diaz
• Enrollment: Roughly 1,719 students
• Student-teacher ratio: Roughly 19 to 1
• U.S. News 2025-26 Kentucky ranking: #51
• Website: douglass.fcps.net
• Shares campus with: Carter G. Woodson Academy

History and Name

Frederick Douglass High School opened in August 2017 as the newest high school in Fayette County Public Schools. Construction was driven by enrollment pressure: both Bryan Station High and Henry Clay High had grown overcrowded, and the district needed a sixth traditional high school to serve the eastern part of the city.

The school is named after Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), the 19th-century African-American abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. Born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, Douglass escaped north in 1838 and became one of the most prominent intellectual and political voices of the abolition movement. His 1845 autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, became a bestseller and helped galvanize the anti-slavery cause. Douglass advised multiple U.S. presidents including Abraham Lincoln, served as the first African-American U.S. marshal, and was nominated for Vice President of the United States in 1872. He was the most photographed American of the 19th century. Naming a 21st-century Kentucky high school after Douglass connects the school to one of the most important figures in American history.

The school's colors, Keeneland green and orange, are a direct nod to Lexington's horse country identity. Keeneland Race Course is one of the most iconic landmarks in Fayette County, and the Broncos mascot fits the theme.

The Football Dynasty

Frederick Douglass rose from new-school status to national football prominence in just a few seasons. The team has earned a reputation as one of the most dominant programs in Kentucky.

Key milestones:

• 2017: Opened with a 10-3 inaugural season, reaching the third round of KHSAA 6A playoffs.
• 2019: State runner-up in 5A.
• 2021: State runner-up in 5A.
• 2022: Won the 5A KHSAA State Championship, defeating Bowling Green High School. The 2022 Broncos went 13-0 in the regular season and allowed only 61 points all year, the fewest in any class in Kentucky.

Beyond the championship, Frederick Douglass produced three consecutive winners of the Paul Hornung Award, presented annually by the Louisville Quarterback Club to Kentucky's top high school football player:

• 2020: Jager Burton
• 2021: Dane Key
• 2022: Ty Bryant

All three went on to play at the University of Kentucky, becoming college teammates. The Broncos have ranked as high as #48 nationally in MaxPreps.

The 2025 season continues the program's competitive run, with the Broncos reaching the KHSAA playoffs again.

Programs and Academics

Frederick Douglass offers a broad slate of academic programs plus several distinctive offerings:

• Advanced Placement (AP): Roughly 42% AP participation rate
• Biomedical Sciences Magnet Program: A district-wide magnet program housed at Frederick Douglass, focusing on health science career preparation
• Career pathways: Industry-focused tracks beyond standard college prep
• 28 athletic programs across boys' and girls' sports
• Shared campus with Carter G. Woodson Academy: A district-wide magnet program for boys grades 6-12, focused on college preparation through African-American history and culture. Carter G. Woodson Academy is administratively separate but shares the Winchester Road facility.

Which Neighborhoods Feed Into Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass primarily serves eastern Lexington. Specific zoning depends on your exact address.

• Hamburg: Most Hamburg-area addresses are now zoned to Frederick Douglass. The school replaced Henry Clay as the primary high school for Hamburg when it opened in 2017.
• Parts of Andover: Some Andover subdivisions feed into Frederick Douglass, though this varies by subdivision and exact address.
• Other east-side addresses: Various pockets of east Lexington feed into Frederick Douglass depending on the specific street.

Because boundary lines vary by exact address and change with rezonings, always verify your specific address with the FCPS SchoolSite Locator.

How to Learn More

To verify your specific address is zoned for Frederick Douglass, use the FCPS SchoolSite Locator.

For current programs, teachers, and recent news, visit the school website at douglass.fcps.net.

For the broader district context, see the Lexington Schools Guide.

For information on the other Fayette County high schools, see the Henry Clay High School and Bryan Station High School posts. More individual school pages will be added to this site over time.

For neighborhood research, the neighborhoods section of this site covers Hamburg, Andover, and other Lexington neighborhoods in detail.