25% of Kentucky schools see majority upper scores in math. But most are improving.

Only about one-quarter of public schools in Kentucky reported that more than 50% of their students scored proficient or distinguished on statewide math testing this past spring, according to a Herald-Leader analysis of test results released Thursday by the Kentucky Department of Education.

For the statewide reading test, that number was about 45%.

Students from grades 3 through 8, 10 and 11 were tested this past spring, and each student received a score of novice (the lowest), apprentice, proficient or distinguished (the highest) on several subjects.

But there was good news on reading and math tests, too: The state publishes a combined math and reading indicator score, which relies mainly on test scores, and 54% of schools statewide improved their figure from last school year.

The test results were published early Thursday by the state, as required by state statute and federal law. The Herald-Leader analyzed several pieces of the data, including Fayette County’s scores , the top- and bottom-performing schools statewide , and a database that allows readers to search any school’s results .

Using data from the 2023-2024 school year, Kentucky provides a color-coded overall performance rating called an overall indicator rating, and they range from red (the lowest) to orange, yellow, green and blue (the highest).

Overall, Kentucky’s elementary, middle and high schools each received a yellow — medium — rating in the state’s color-coded accountability system.

Most of the highest-scoring elementary schools were clustered in Eastern Kentucky, including Central Elementary in Knox County, Cawood Elementary in Harlan County, East Valley Elementary in Morgan County and Burning Springs Elementary in Clay County.

This is the second year the state has used its current accountability system, allowing for year-to-year comparisons for the first time.

“The picture we see with the 2023-2024 school year data is not a straightforward one. There are several areas to be proud of, some areas of concern, and some areas where we, as a Commonwealth, have plateaued,” Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said in a statement Thursday.

Kentucky’s schools and districts, like many nationwide, continue to recover from the pandemic and other factors affecting students, state officials said.

The bulk of schools — 442 of 1,264 measured statewide — received a yellow rating, the middle on the five-color scale. One-hundred forty-nine schools received a blue, the highest rating, and 101 received red, the lowest.

Among elementary schools statewide, about 48% reported at least half of their students scoring proficient or distinguished on reading tests. Sublimity Elementary in Laurel County led the way with 95%, followed by Farmington Elementary in Graves County (91%) and Cawood Elementary in Harlan County (85%).

Twenty-nine elementary schools statewide, or about 4% of elementary schools, reported more than half of students scored novice on reading tests. Four of those schools were in Jefferson County, and the other was Arlie Boggs Elementary in Letcher County.

For math tests, about 34% of elementary schools statewide reported more than half of students scored proficient or distinguished, led by a trio of schools that reported 84% of students with those scores: Cawood, Anchorage Independent School and G.R. Hampton Elementary in Knox County.

Thirty-seven elementary schools reported more than half of students tested novice on math tests. The bottom 13 elementary schools were all in Jefferson County, followed by Arlington Elementary in Fayette County.

Among middle schools, about 38% of schools reported more than half of students tested proficient or distinguished on reading tests. Anchorage Independent School led the way with 88%, followed by SCAPA at Bluegrass in Fayette County and Cawood Middle School in Harlan County.

Twenty-one middle schools, or about 6% of schools statewide, reported at least half of their student scored novice on reading tests.

For math tests, less than one-quarter of middle schools statewide reported at least half of their students tested proficient or distinguished. Cawood reported the highest with 87%, followed by Anchorage and SCAPA.

And among high schools, about 43% of schools reported students testing proficient or distinguished in reading. J. Graham Brown in Jefferson County led the way with 87%, followed by DuPont Manual in Jefferson County in Jefferson County, and Beechwood in Northern Kentucky.

And while Jefferson County recorded the best reading scores, it also had the only six high schools statewide to report more than half of their students tested novice in reading. The most novice readers among a non-Louisville school was Gallatin High School with 48%.

And in math, about 14% of high schools statewide reported students testing proficient or distinguished. J. Graham Brown again led the way, followed by Dawson Springs Senior High School and Manual.