Kentucky’s lowest-performing schools making gains

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Kentucky’s lowest-performing schools continue to make progress on increasing student achievement, according to a report presented to the Kentucky Board of Education at its meeting on Wednesday.

Based on 2013-14 Unbridled Learning Assessment and Accountability System results, of the 39 Priority or Persistently Low-Achieving (PLA) Schools (those identified as being in the bottom 5 percent of schools in the Commonwealth):

• 5 schools scored in the Distinguished category, the highest of all performance categories
• 5 schools scored in the Proficient category
• 21 schools were categorized as Progressing (met annual measurable objective, student participation rate and graduation rate goal)
• 7 schools had achievement scores above the state average
• 21 schools had a 10 point or greater increase in their percentile rank from the previous year
• 24 of 39 schools had a 5 percentage point or less difference in the combined reading/math score between the gap group and all students
• 14 schools are on track to exit Priority status with the release of the 2014-15 report card

Three schools – Caverna High School, Sheldon Clark High School and East Carter High School – exited Priority status this year.  One school, Leslie County High School, exited Priority status last year.

In an effort to help low-performing schools, the state established Franklin-Simpson High School, Pulaski County High School and East Carter High School as Hub Schools.  These schools have made extremely high levels of progress; are rated Distinguished/Progressing (top 10 percent) in the last state assessment; and have exponentially more students who are college and career ready.