These 25 public elementary schools were named the best in KY, and 4 are in Lexington
Four elementary schools in Lexington ranked in the top 25 public elementary schools in Kentucky, according to Niche, a site offering data on schools and colleges.
Niche creates ratings based on reviews and data. Sources include the U.S. Department of Education, Common Core Data, Civil Rights Data Collection and others.
The best public elementary schools ranking uses the following methodology:
Academics grade: Based on state assessment proficiency, district academics grade, student to teacher ratio and parent/student surveys on academics
Diversity grade: Based on student racial diversity index, parent/student surveys on culture and diversity, economically disadvantaged percentage and gender diversity
Teachers grade: Based on the academics grade, parent/teacher surveys on teachers, teacher absenteeism, teacher salary index, portion of teachers in their first or second year of teaching, average teacher salary and student-to-teacher ratio
Here’s how the overall grade for public elementary schools breaks down:
Academics grade: 50% of overall grade
Teachers grade: 20%
District overall Niche grade: 15%
Culture and diversity grade: 10%
Parent/student surveys on overall experience: 5%
All four of the Fayette County schools in the top 25 received ‘A’ overall scores from Niche, though their grades in the categories of academics, teachers and diversity varied.
Here’s how the schools compared:
25. Russell Primary School
Location: Russell, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B- diversity
Russell Primary School is a “highly rated” institution, Niche says, with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
State test scores show 67% of students are at least proficient in math and 72% are proficient in reading.
24. W.R. McNeill Elementary School
Location: Bowling Green, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A- teachers, A diversity
More than 300 students attend W.R. McNeill Elementary School, according to Niche, and the student-teacher ratio is 14 to 1.
Math proficiency is at 66%, and 76% of students are proficient in reading.
23. Lone Oak Intermediate School
Location: Paducah, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A+ teachers, B+ diversity
Lone Oak Intermediate School educates 458 students in grades 4 to 5, Niche reports, with a student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1.
Reading proficiency is at 72%, while 63% of students are at least proficient in math.
22. Cassidy Elementary School
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A teachers, A- diversity
Cassidy Elementary School is home to 643 students from kindergarten to fifth grade, and the student-teacher ratio is 13 to 1.
State test scores show 72% of Cassidy Elementary students are proficient in math and 76% are proficient in reading.
The institution ranked among the highest-scoring elementary schools via a statewide K-12 school accountability system in October, according to previous Herald-Leader reporting.
21. Pikeville Elementary School
Location: Pikeville, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B- diversity
More than 600 students attend Pikeville Elementary School, which has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
Reading proficiency is at 71%, and math proficiency is at 69%, according to Niche’s ranking.
20. Veterans Park Elementary School
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, A- diversity
Veterans Park Elementary School hosts 703 students from kindergarten to fifth grade, according to Niche, with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
Math proficiency is at 71% at Veterans Park Elementary, and reading proficiency is at 75%.
The school received a “green” designation in the Kentucky school report card system, the second-best out of five possible color rankings.
19. Goshen at Hillcrest Elementary School
Location: Prospect, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A teachers, B- diversity
More than 670 students attend Goshen at Hillcrest Elementary School, which has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
Math proficiency is at 72%, and 79% are at least proficient in reading.
18. Oak Hill Elementary School
Location: Somerset, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B- diversity
Oak Hill Elementary School has more than 500 students from kindergarten to fifth grade, with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
State tests scores show 72% of students are proficient in math and 78% are proficient in reading.
17. Clays Mill Elementary School
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B+ diversity
This Lexington school has 474 students from kindergarten to fifth grade, with a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1.
More than 70% of Clays Mill Elementary students are proficient in math, and 82% are proficient in reading.
Clays Mill Elementary School received a “blue” designation in the Kentucky school report card ranking, indicating the highest performance.
16. Johnson Elementary School
Location: Fort Thomas, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A teachers, C diversity
Johnson Elementary School has 396 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1, according to Niche.
State test scores show 67% of students are proficient in math and 76% are proficient in reading.
15. Woodlawn Elementary School
Location: Danville, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B- diversity
This elementary school hosts 544 students, according to Niche, and it has a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1.
Woodlawn Elementary School has a 66% math proficiency rate and an 80% proficiency rate in reading.
14. Rosa Parks Elementary School
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, A- diversity
More than 660 students attend Rosa Parks Elementary School, which has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1, according to Niche.
State test scores report 76% of students are proficient in math and 84% are proficient in reading.
The Kentucky school report card rated Rosa Parks Elementary School highly for the 2021 to 2022 school year.
13. Junction City Elementary School
Location: Junction City, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A teachers, B- diversity
Junction City Elementary School educates 374 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. The institution has a math proficiency rate of 72% and a reading proficiency rate of 77%.
12. Lone Oak Elementary School
Location: Paducah, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B+ diversity
More than 480 students attend Lone Oak Elementary School, which has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
The school’s math proficiency rate is 67%, according to Niche, and the reading proficiency rate is 72%.
11. Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School
Location: Paducah, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B diversity
Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School has 462 students, Niche reports, and a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1.
Its math proficiency rate is 67%, while 72% of students are at least proficient in reading.
10. J. Graham Brown School
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, B+ teachers, A- diversity
J. Graham Brown is a magnet school teaching 753 students K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1.
Math proficiency is at 82%, and 88% of J. Graham Brown students are proficient in reading.
9. Reidland Elementary School
Location: Paducah, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B diversity
Reidland Elementary School has 561 students, according to Niche, with a student teacher ratio of 16 to 1.
State test scores show 67% of students are proficient in math and 77% are proficient in reading.
8. Harlan Elementary School
Location: Harlan, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B- diversity
More than 265 students attend Harlan Elementary School, according to Niche, and the institution has a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1.
Math proficiency is at 67%, Niche says, while 77% of students are proficient in reading.
7. Heath Elementary School
Location: West Paducah, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B- diversity
Heath Elementary School educates 465 students, Niche reports, with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1.
Proficiency is at 77% in math and in reading, according to state test scores.
6. Moyer Elementary School
Location: Fort Thomas, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A teachers, B- diversity
This Fort Thomas school has 550 students and a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1, according to Niche.
Math proficiency is at 73% at Moyer Elementary, while 77% of students are proficient in reading.
5. Concord Elementary School
Location: Paducah, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B+ diversity
More than 600 students attend Concord Elementary School, according to Niche, and it has a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1.
Math proficiency is at 70% and reading proficiency is at 76%.
4. Woodfill Elementary School
Location: Fort Thomas, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, C+ diversity
Woodfill Elementary School has 376 students and a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1, according to Niche.
Math proficiency is at 77% and reading proficiency is at 75%.
3. Beechwood Elementary School
Location: Fort Mitchell, Ky.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B- diversity
Beechwood Elementary School has more than 700 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1, according to Niche.
Reading proficiency is at 74%, while math proficiency is at 70%.
2. Anchorage Independent Public School
Location: Anchorage, Ky.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers, C+ diversity
More than 380 students attend Anchorage Independent Public School, which has a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1, according to Niche.
State test scores show 84% of students are proficient in math and 88% are proficient in reading.
1. Murray Elementary School
Location: Murray, Ky.
Grades: A+ overall, A academics, A+ teachers, B+ diversity
Murray Elementary School has 505 students, according to Niche, with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
Math and reading proficiency is at 77% at Murray Elementary.
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