How did JCPS students score on Kentucky assessments?

Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal
Updated ·4 min read
Students descend a stairwell as they head to lunch on the first day of school at The Academy @ Shawnee in Louisville, Ky. on Aug. 9, 2023. Enrollment has increased by 400 students this year.

Students at Jefferson County Public Schools showed improvement in state rankings released Tuesday, with almost 70% of district schools increasing their reading and math scores.

More students ranked as proficient or distinguished readers and fewer earned the state's lowest ranking as novice readers, according to results of the 2022-23 Kentucky Summative Assessment.

"The gains we are seeing in reading among all of our student groups is encouraging," Superintendent Marty Pollio said Tuesday ahead of the data's public release. "It is a testament to the hard work of our teachers and staff who are preparing our children to be successful at the next level."

However, the news was not all good. Nearly all of the state's worst-performing schools were within the district, and the percentage of students proficient in content areas was well below state levels.

The data reflects the first full year of school when students didn't learn virtually since before the pandemic.

SEE THE SCORES: You can find data for JCPS and your school by clicking here

How do JCPS assessment scores compare to the state's?

When looking at how students across Kentucky scored on assessments in five content areas, JCPS students fared significantly worse.

While about 47% of Kentucky elementary students ranked as proficient or distinguished readers, only 39% of JCPS elementary students did. At the middle school level, 34% of JCPS' students were proficient or distinguished readers, and at the high school level that rate was 37%. Across the state, 45% of middle schoolers reached this ranking and 44% of high schoolers did.

In math, 32% of JCPS elementary students were proficient or distinguished, with 23% of middle schoolers reaching that rank and 25% of high schoolers. At the state level, 42% of elementary students were proficient or distinguished in math, followed by 37% of middle schoolers and 33% of high schoolers.

Despite falling behind the state's rankings, JCPS achieved gains. The percentage of elementary students who were proficient or distinguished increased 3 percentage points in reading and 5 percentage points in math. Middle schoolers were up 2 percentage points in reading but down 3 points in math.

High schoolers, however were down 1 percentage point in reading compared to the previous year, and down 4 points in math.

Reading, math and attendance: Here's how Kentucky students did on state assessments

The district did see a smaller percentage of students earn the state's lowest ranking as novice readers.

This year the district implemented a new reading curriculum for all K-8 students that is rooted in the science of reading. Pollio pointed out that 29 elementary schools throughout the district were already using that curriculum during the last testing cycle, stating many of those schools saw significant gains.

Are JCPS high schoolers prepared for life after graduation?

JCPS' data shows that many students who graduated might not be prepared for the workforce. While 87% of high schoolers graduated within four years, 51% failed to meet at least one of the state's career readiness indicators. That rate is slightly higher than the state's 48%.

This is coupled with low ACT scores. JCPS students earned an average overall score of 17, which falls slightly below the state's score of 17.8 and lower still than the national score of 19.5.

Despite this, Pollio expressed excitement over the district's graduation rate - indicating it is the highest its ever been in district history.

Last year's seniors were freshmen when the pandemic forced schools to close in March 2020.

Which JCPS schools ranked in the state's bottom 5%?

There were more than two dozen schools identified as having ranked in the bottom 5% of all schools based on the overall school score. All but two were within JCPS.

The schools are federally classified as CSI (Comprehensive Support and Improvement), which allows them to receive extra money and support from the state to improve academic outcomes. They included 15 elementary, seven middle and three high schools. Many of the schools are in western Louisville.

The JCPS elementary schools are:

  • Byck Elementary

  • Cane Run Elementary

  • Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary

  • Engelhard Elementary

  • Jacob Elementary

  • Kennedy Elementary

  • Kerrick Elementary

  • King Elementary

  • Maupin Elementary

  • Mcferran Preparatory Academy

  • Mill Creek Elementary

  • Sanders Elementary

  • Shelby Academy

  • Wilkerson Elementary School

  • Wheatley Elementary

The JCPS middle schools are:

  • Conway Middle

  • Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North

  • Frederick Law Olmsted Academy South

  • Marion C. Moore School (only middle school level)

  • Stuart Academy

  • The Academy @ Shawnee

  • Thomas Jefferson Middle

The JCPS high schools are:

  • Iroquois High

  • Seneca High

  • The Academy @ Shawnee

Of these, eight are part of the district's "Choice Zone," a designation that also provides the schools with additional resources under the district's new student assignment plan.

JCPS' rate of CSI schools did decrease, Pollio noted. In 2019, there were 34 of the district's schools within the bottom 5%. This year nine schools improved their rankings enough to move out of the classification.

Contact reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky school report card: How JCPS students score on assessments?