Superintendent’s Message Regarding State Assessment Results

Kentucky public schools are filled with some of the best people in the entire Commonwealth and that is especially true for our Hawk Family here in LaRue County. After 34 years in the education field, I’m even more passionate today than I was when I first stood in front of a classroom full of kids as a middle school Health & PE teacher. The reason why? For me, it’s all about connection.

Making connection a top priority with our students, staff, and our community gives us the culture we need to ensure all stakeholders are working together to ensure every child receives the opportunities they need to succeed. In that journey towards success are benchmarks which measure parts of how we are doing on that path. One of those benchmarks is a newly updated system from the Kentucky Department of Education named the Kentucky Summative Assessments (KSA), formerly called K-PREP.

Perhaps one of the most important points to note on the new testing model is that it is different enough from 2019 testing (called the Star Rating system) and the 2021 testing when students took a much shorter test and not all students tested because of the pandemic. Keeping that in mind, these test results cannot be compared to previous tests even as recently as 2021. It is a different test with different measurements.

With all that being said, I am proud to announce that LaRue County Schools performed above the state average overall. LaRue County students, compared to other districts with more resources, receive instruction and educational experiences that is of incredible value. While there is room for improvement in our assessments, it is certainly a moment worth pausing to celebrate. An opportunity to acknowledge the grit and resilience demonstrated by our students, families, and staff to perform at an exemplary level, regardless of the circumstances. A true display of care, connection and collaboration.

The KSA provides us the opportunity to determine a baseline, examine the data, and adjust for improvement. Our principals, teachers, and staff have already begun the process of analyzing the assessment data to create plans to improve teaching and learning. With that in mind, I’m reminded yet again of my passion for meeting the multiple needs of every child. Education isn’t just about instruction - it’s about creating a future-driven school system focused on the whole child, where no learner is ever marginalized.

It’s a great day to be a Hawk!