Part of Jefferson County Public Schools, Ballard is the school that current NBA star Allan Houston graduated from. Ballard is a top academic institution in the Louisville metro area and consists of students from all across the city. Ballard has an oustanding tradition in the arts as well as a great band program. Ballard is also a Kentucky powerhouse in baseball, basketball, and football. Ballard Baseball, Ballard Basketball, and Ballard Football have sent many athletes on to college and to the pro ranks. Ballard has been run by lontime principle Sandy Allen who retired after the 2003-2004 school year. The head basketball coach is Chris Renner and the head baseball coach is Greg Gilbert. The basketball team was the state runner up in 2003 and won the state championship in 1977, 1988, and 1999. Several current Ballard basketball players are solid prospects such as Ra'von Lee and Greg Grimes. Ballard simply has one of the top high school basketball programs in the nation year in and year out.

Ballard alumni include New York Knicks guard Allan Houston, Cincinnati Bengals fullback Jeremi Johnson and Vanderbilt University pitcher Jeremy Sowers, a first-round draft pick the baseball draft of the Cleveland Indians.

In Kentucky, care must be taken not to confuse this school with Ballard Memorial High School, the public high school that serves Ballard County in the far-western Jackson Purchase.