(WKYT) – Kentucky students posted their highest reading proficiency rates in recent years during the 2025-2026 school year, according to accountability and assessment results released by the Kentucky Department of Education.
The data showed reading achievement increased across all grade spans. Elementary reading proficiency reached 50%, up from 49% in 2025 and 45% in 2022. Middle school reading rose to 48%, up from 47% the previous year and 44% in 2022. High school reading reached 49%, up from 46% in 2025 and 44% in 2022.
Mathematics performance held steady. Elementary math proficiency remained at 43%, unchanged from 2025 but up from 38% in 2022. Middle school math dropped to 40%, down from 41% in 2025 but up from 37% in 2022. High school math fell to 39%, down from 40% in 2025 but up from 36% in 2022.
The percentage of students scoring at the Novice level in both reading and math declined across all grade levels from 2022 to 2026.
Fewer schools earn top accountability ratings
Despite the testing gains, fewer schools received the top two overall accountability ratings, Green or Blue, this year compared with 2025.
The combined number of schools rated Green or Blue dropped from 296 to 277 among elementary schools, from 154 to 118 among middle schools and from 132 to 113 among high schools.
The percentage of schools earning those ratings fell from 41% to 39% in elementary schools, from 48% to 37% in middle schools and from 58% to 50% in high schools.
According to the Kentucky Department of Education, the decreases were mainly driven by lower “change” scores, which compare current and prior-year performance, while “status” scores, which measure current performance, were similar to the previous year.
“This may reflect schools maintain performance with little improvement than the previous year, so although current performance remains relatively similar to the previous year, overall, ratings were lower,” explained Robbie Fletcher, Kentucky’s Commissioner of Education.
Postsecondary readiness and graduation rates improve
Postsecondary readiness was identified as a strength in the data. The statewide Postsecondary Readiness Indicator Score increased from 92.2 to 98.5.
The number of high schools receiving a Blue rating in that indicator rose from 122 to 151, representing 67% of high schools, up from 54% the previous year. Schools rated Orange or Red in postsecondary readiness decreased from 20 to 11.
“That postsecondary readiness for me as a former principal was what I really hung my hat on,” explained Fletcher, “how successful my students were being. Now, I wouldn’t always look at all the different areas, but I would definitely look at things like entry certification when I was a principal, or how are they doing in dual credit classes, or, did they meet the college benchmarks, and look and see are we really making sure students are ready for that next level?”
Statewide graduation rates also continued to improve. The four-year graduation rate rose from 93.6% to 94.1%, compared with 90.1% in 2022, reaching its highest level in the five years reported.
Four-year graduation rates also increased for several student groups: African American students rose from 91.1% to 91.8%; Hispanic students rose from 86.2% to 88.2%; economically disadvantaged students rose from 92.7% to 93.3%; and students with Individual Education Programs rose from 83.1% to 84.2%.
The statewide five-year graduation rate increased from 94.2% to 94.5%, with gains for African American students, from 91.3% to 92.4%, and students with IEPs, from 83.5% to 85.2%.
Science, social studies, and writing results mixed
In science, the percentage of students scoring proficient or distinguished increased by 3 percentage points at the elementary level and 2 percentage points at the high school level, while middle school performance decreased by 1 percentage point.
In social studies, the percentage of proficient and distinguished students remained stable at the elementary level (38%) and middle school level (39%), while high school performance decreased by 1 percentage point.
Combined Writing scores varied by grade span. Elementary Combined Writing fell to 41%, down from 43% in 2025. Middle school Combined Writing fell to 47%, down from 48%. High school Combined Writing rose to 45%, up from 43%.
The 2025-2026 administration was the final year for the editing and mechanics and on-demand writing assessments. Changes enacted through House Bill 257 take effect beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and do not affect the results included T
Kentucky transitioned from ACT to SAT
During the 2025-2026 school year, Kentucky transitioned from the ACT to the SAT as the state-funded college admissions examination for grade 11 students. The SAT was administered digitally through the College Board’s Bluebook testing application in March 2026.
The SAT measures reading, writing and mathematics skills and provides an Analysis in Science score based on science-related questions embedded in the assessment. Because the ACT and SAT use different content structures, score scales and benchmarks, the Kentucky Department of Education said 2025-2026 SAT results should not be directly compared with ACT results from prior years.
Federal classifications issued annually
Under House Bill 298, passed in 2025, the Kentucky Department of Education is now required to identify schools annually for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), rather than once every three years.
For the 2025-2026 school year, schools were also identified for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI). No new identification for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) occurred in fall 2026; that identification process occurs every three years, with the next scheduled for 2028. Schools identified for ATSI in 2025 will continue to receive support and monitoring.
The Kentucky Department of Education said funding is not withheld from a school or district because of a lower accountability rating. Schools identified for CSI receive additional funding and support to implement strategies intended to improve student outcomes.
House Bill 257, signed into law earlier this year, puts new accountability measures in place for the current 2026-27 school year. Commissioner Fletcher says the new system could change school scores next year.
“It’s not necessarily a competition,” notes Fletcher. “Of course, we all want to be a blue school. Everybody wants to be a blue school, and two, we’d like to have higher scores. Admittedly I would look at my scores compared to my neighbors, but then after I get off the phone I would call them and say ‘what are you doing? What are you doing that maybe we can adopt?’”