Garrard County Schools recently celebrated significant success on the Kentucky Summative Assessments, with several schools in the district showing impressive growth. GCS saw improvements in key academic indicators, with four schools achieving notable point jumps in overall scores from last year.
The Kentucky Summative Assessments collect data on key academic areas, including reading, math, science, social studies, and writing. Schools are rated on a color-coded system that ranks their performance: red (lowest), orange, yellow, green, and blue (highest). These colors reflect a school’s progress in specific areas and its overall performance compared to state benchmarks.
Elementary School Success
Paint Lick Elementary: Paint Lick made a tremendous leap, jumping to a blue rating, the highest level, with an overall score increase of 24.2 points. The school saw gains across all indicators, with significant jumps in reading and math, boasting a 39.7 point increase in those subjects.
Camp Dick Robinson Elementary: Camp Dick Robinson also achieved blue status, making gains in reading and math with a 16.7-point improvement in those areas. The school also improved in science, social studies, and writing, with a 7.7-point increase. Their overall score jumped by 11.8 points, securing them a blue rating.
Lancaster Elementary: Lancaster Elementary had a remarkable year, increasing in all academic areas. The school's biggest gains were in social studies, science, and writing, with a 13.4-point increase. Their overall growth was 9.2 points, putting them just 1.1 points away from achieving a green rating—a significant improvement from being 10.3 points away last year.
“Our elementary schools' performance and growth on the 2024 Kentucky Summative Assessment is outstanding,” said Holly Young, GCS Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning. “Through hard work and a shared commitment to excellence, we have seen remarkable increases in student achievement. This success is a testament to the strength of our educational community, where everyone is invested in ensuring the best outcomes for our students. We will continue to focus on creating the best learning opportunities for our students.”
Secondary School Performance
Garrard County High School: The high school showed growth in school climate, safety, and graduation rates. They maintained a blue status in the postsecondary readiness indicator but experienced a decline in core academic performance, which will be a key focus for improvement moving forward.
Garrard Middle School: GMS had an exceptional year, increasing in all academic indicators. The school achieved a green rating in reading and math, with an 8.1-point jump in those areas, and saw a 14.7-point increase in science, social studies, and writing. Overall, GMS grew by 10.7 points, bringing them within just 2.1 points of achieving a green overall rating. Importantly, the school also exited its Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) classification.
District-Wide Accomplishments
District-wide, Garrard County Schools are celebrating substantial overall growth. Four schools showed significant point jumps, and the district’s elementary schools improved from a yellow to a green overall indicator. While GMS remains classified as yellow, it is now at the high end of the rating scale, showing huge progress in moving out of TSI. Both the elementary and middle schools saw impressive improvements in reading and math.
Garrard County Schools Superintendent Dr. Kevin Stull said, “I am incredibly proud of the work our students and teachers have put in to see the positive movement toward more and more students being at or above grade level on state assessments. Double-digit jumps in many indicators in four of our schools show just how successful the work has been. While we celebrate the exceptional growth we see in these results, we know we have additional work to do to ensure all students achieve at the highest level possible. I'm confident we will continue to face the challenge and make the schools in Garrard County the place to be for student academic success.”
Garrard County Schools look forward to building on this success in the coming years and continuing to provide an exceptional learning environment for all students.