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By Abigail Roberts

Correspondent

STANFORD – The Kentucky Department of Education has released this year’s state assessments and all Lincoln County Schools either maintained their previous status or improved a level.

“Two of our elementary schools, Crab Orchard and Waynesburg, have made significant progress moving from the Orange level to the Yellow level showing tremendous growth in multiple areas,” a statement from the Lincoln County School District reads. “Hustonville Elementary remains the highest rated school in the district with a Green rating.”

According to the Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky’s annual school report card data measures schools on a combination of academic and school-quality indicators. Those indicators include: reading and math results; science, social studies and writing results; English learner progress; quality of school climate and safety; postsecondary readiness (high school level); and graduation rate (high school level).

“Using data from the 2022-2023 school year, Kentucky’s accountability system provides a color-coded overall performance rating for each school, district and the state by level, ranging from red (lowest) to blue (highest),” KDE stated in a recent news release. “The overall performance rating color is based on a score that is determined by combining data from all available indicators. The overall score is used to determine the state’s lowest-performing schools by grade level, as required federally.”

Lincoln County has seven schools in the district including five elementary schools, a middle school and a high school.

Elementary Schools

Crab Orchard Elementary improved from an Orange level to Yellow, showing growth in reading and math, science, social studies and combined writing, as well as quality of school climate and safety indicators.

COES Principal Justin Abbott said the school showed a double digit increase in the overall score.

“We were also able to increase scores in every category, some by double digits,” Abbott said in a press release. “We are headed in the right direction thanks to our all-star teachers and support staff who put it all on the line every day to help ensure student success.”

Waynesburg Elementary also improved its overall rating from Orange to Yellow with significant growth in reading and math, science, social studies and combined writing, as well as quality of school climate and safety indicators.

Former Principal Chad Davis said the tremendous growth at Waynesburg was a direct result of the hard work and dedication of teachers and students.

“We are proud of the Waynesburg team and look forward to continued growth and strong academic achievement.”

Davis was recently named the new Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the district. Timothy Wheeler has been hired as the new principal of Waynesburg Elementary.

Highland Elementary maintained its overall Yellow rating but showed significant growth in science, social studies and combined writing.

Stanford Elementary also maintained its Yellow rating with scores remaining consistent with the previous year, ranking the school among the top elementary schools in the district.

Hustonville Elementary remains the top elementary school in the district with an overall Green rating. The school showed growth in ratings for Quality of School Climate and Safety.

Lincoln Middle, High School

Lincoln County Middle School maintained an overall Orange rating. The assessment showed growth in results for reading and mathematics, and a decline in the science, social studies and combined writing indicator rating, as well as the quality of school climate and safety survey indicator rating.

“They remain a Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school for Disability but are committed to improving academic improvements for all students,” the district said in a press release.

Lincoln County High School maintained an overall Yellow rating this year. The state assessment results showed a decline in the reading and mathematics indicator rating, as well as the quality of school climate and safety surveys, but positive growth in Science, Social Studies and Combined Writing, as well as gains in the Graduation Rate and Postsecondary Readiness, which ensures students are ready after leaving the classroom. The Postsecondary Readiness indicator showed results “increased significantly” in that rating.

Superintendent Bruce Smith said he is proud of the hard work and effort of the district’s administrators, teachers and students.

“It is our goal, as a district, to prioritize ways to keep improving and making progress, and I have full confidence that will happen with the leadership we have in place,” Smith said.