State review finds several academic, communication problems at Fayette middle school
Students at Lexington’s Bryan Station Middle School are not being held to high academic expectations, a state diagnostic team of educators recently found.
At the Feb. 12 Fayette County school board planning meeting, the board voted for the Kentucky Department of Education to help turn the school, which has been identified by the state as needing comprehensive support and improvement, around.
Once schools have received notification of their comprehensive support and improvement identification, they must work with local stakeholders to develop and implement a turnaround plan, said KDE spokesperson Joe Ragusa.
The diagnostic review report was posted on the Kentucky Department of Education website on Feb. 14.
It showed that the percentage of Bryan Station Middle School students performing at proficient and distinguished levels on the Kentucky Summative Assessment was lower in every content area — from reading and math to science and social studies — than students performed statewide in 2022-23.
The diagnostic review showed that students who were learning the English language did not improve, which led to the need for comprehensive support.
The review, conducted Jan. 8-11, also found:
Students rarely had rigorous coursework.
Students were seldom assigned highly engaging activities that require active learning.
Students were not consistently held to high academic expectations.
Many staff members did not understand why some school initiatives were implemented. There was a lack of consistent and clear communication.
Parents who participated in a group interview indicated that communication between the school and home was inadequate.
The review team said the principal had the capacity to lead a turnaround.
“Over the past year, the administrative team, teachers, and support staff at Bryan Station Middle School have created a learning environment that is welcoming, safe, and grounded in positive relationships among staff and students,” the report said.
Kentucky Department of Education officials said Bryan Station Middle was the only school in Fayette County and one of 28 schools in the state needing comprehensive support. Aside from Bryan Station Middle School, one school with the designation was in Knott County, one school was in Warren County and the rest were in Jefferson County.
Bill Bradford, Chief School Leadership Officer for Middle Schools in the Fayette County district, said in an emailed statement that the diagnostic review identified “areas where the school continues to make concerted improvements.”
Bradford said the report showed a positive change in student behavior and organization over the past year, and interactions between adults and students were found to be positive and respectful.
“The review detailed optimal conditions for teaching and learning,” he said, including appropriate adult supervision and clean building areas.
In terms of areas for improvement, he said, “the administration, faculty, and district support personnel are prepared and equipped to implement revised systems and data-centered processes in order to increase student achievement and address academic gaps between student subgroup populations.”
