Bardstown City Schools earn ‘Distinguished District’ K-PREP classification

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Friday, Sept. 30, 2016 — The Bardstown Independent School District has earned the “Distinguished District” rating in the 2015-16 K-PREP state accountability scores, which were released Thursday by the Kentucky Department of Education.

The district earned the ranking by finishing 8.1 points above the district’s annual goal set by the state.

Overall, the district’s accountability score jumped from last year that it skipped an accountability ranking. Last year the district earned the “Needs Improvement/Progressing,” classification; the district’s 2015-16 score allowed the district to bypass the “Proficient” rank and reach the “Distinguished” ranking.

“This district has so much to be proud of,” said Brent Holsclaw, superintendent. “I could not be more proud of our administrators, teachers and students for the work they have done to accomplish this.”

Individual school performance

BARDSTOWN HIGH. Bardstown High School received a Distinguished ranking, with a 6.4 increase in their total score. The high school was above the state average for student growth and scored above the state average in all subject areas with the exception of social studies.

While only 50 percent of high schools in the state met their AMO, BHS exceeded theirs by 7.3 points with a total score of 68.8, well above the state average of 65.7.

BARDSTOWN MIDDLE. Bardstown Middle School, with a 4.7 improvement in overall score, is a Proficient/Progressing school. While fewer than 47 percent of schools met their AMO, BMS exceeded theirs by 5 points. Bardstown Middle School scored above the state average in writing and language mechanics and met standards for proficiency in all Program Review categories. BMS is still considered a Focus school as they must make their AMO two years in a row to remove that label.

BARDSTOWN ELEMENTARY. Bardstown Elementary received a Proficient/Progressing classification with a 10-point improvement in its total score.

The elementary scored above the state average in growth for both math and reading and above the state average in writing. While only 51 percent of elementary schools in Kentucky met their AMO, Bardstown Elementary exceeded theirs by 12 points.

The progress evident in the K-PREP scores is evidence of the district’s ongoing drive to improve instruction for all students in all grades, Holsclaw said.

“This is not just about test-taking, it is about how we teach content and recognizing how our students best learn the content,” he said. “It is clear from our assessment scores that the work we have been doing for the past four years is being validated and we want to continue to move forward.”

-30-