Oldham leads, JCPS trails: Where your district ranks on Kentucky’s report card
– 3 min read
Yellow is the most common rating in our area, but a few districts are pulling ahead and one is still working to move up.
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If you’ve ever wondered how your school district measures up against the one next door, the Kentucky Department of Education’s latest report cards offer a side-by-side look. Each district gets a color rating at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, running from Red (lowest performance) through Orange, Yellow and Green to Blue (highest).
The top of the class
Oldham County has the strongest overall showing in our region: Green at the elementary and middle levels and Blue, the highest rating, at the high school level. Anchorage Independent also earned a Blue, in middle school, after a Green at the elementary level.
Breckinridge County and Warren County both earned Green at all three levels. Marion County was Green in elementary and middle school and Yellow in high school. Spencer County was Green in elementary and high school and Yellow in middle school.
The big middle
Yellow is the most common color in our area. Adair, Barren, Grayson, LaRue, Meade and Shelby counties were Yellow at every level. Hardin County was Yellow in elementary and middle school and Green in high school.
Where districts landed in Orange
Nelson County was Yellow in elementary and high school, but its middle schools came in Orange.
Jefferson County Public Schools was Orange at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, the only district on our list with Orange across the board.
How Area School Districts Compare
Kentucky Department of Education report card ratings for elementary, middle and high schools, from highest to lowest performance.
A closer look at JCPS
Jefferson County Public Schools, the state’s largest district, says its 2025-26 Kentucky Summative Assessment results show steady progress even though the ratings remain Orange.
According to the district, reading proficiency rose at every level: elementary reached 38% (up from 36%), middle school 36% (up from 35%), and high school 35% (up from 34%). The district also reports a graduation rate of 89.4% and a postsecondary readiness score of 89.3.
JCPS also points to a drop in its lowest-rated schools. The number of schools rated Red, the state’s lowest tier, fell to 33 this year, down from 41 last year and 54 in 2023-24. That’s a 20% reduction from last year and 39% from two years ago.
Here’s how those reading and math scores break down:
- Reading, proficient: 24% elementary, 22% middle, 22% high
- Reading, distinguished: 13% elementary, 13% middle, 12% high
- Math, proficient: 23% elementary, 20% middle, 19% high
- Math, distinguished: 8% elementary, 8% middle, 9% high
Math is the district’s weak spot. Proficiency held roughly steady at 32% for elementary, 29% for middle and 27% for high school, and the district acknowledges that is an area needing “accelerated improvement.”
“We are encouraged by our reading gains and the steady drop in our lowest-performing schools,” said JCPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood in a press release. “At the same time, overall proficiency remains below district aspirations.”
The district says it is responding with stronger instruction, targeted coaching and direct resources, including continuing its Every Student Reads initiative and strengthening math instruction. JCPS also notes that 32 of the 38 schools designated for federal targeted support were flagged because of outcomes among students with disabilities, and says it will direct resources toward those student groups.
JCPS says its ratings show growth toward reaching Yellow.
Look up your own district
Want to see the details for your child’s school or your own district? You can search the full report cards at the Kentucky Department of Education’s site.
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Written by
Shay McAlister is an award-winning journalist and founder of Shay Informed. After a decade as a reporter and anchor, she launched her ad-free, subscription-based outlet in 2025 to focus on accountability journalism and victim-centric reporting.
