The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in English language arts. The lowest is 31% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Bardstown Elementary School
Bardstown Elementary School serves second through fifth graders in Bardstown, a small historic city in central Kentucky that markets itself as the Bourbon Capital of the World. The school is one of the elementary campuses in the Bardstown Independent district, a separate public system from Nelson County Schools. The school is a regular public school and occupies a building on Templin Avenue. No charter or magnet designation is listed, and Title I status was not provided.
The student body is majority white, with a meaningful share of students who identify as two or more races and smaller populations of Black, Hispanic, and Asian students. A substantial portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment is large for an elementary school serving only four grade levels. The school does not serve kindergarten or first grade, and because it ends at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report.
On Kentucky’s state assessments, performance varies by subject and grade. In math, proficiency rates are below half of tested students in third and fourth grades, then climb to above half by fifth grade. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: third grade proficiency sits below half, while fourth grade reaches half, and fifth grade rises further. Science is assessed only in fourth grade, and the share of students reaching the proficient or distinguished levels is lower than in the other tested subjects. Social studies is assessed only in fifth grade, where proficiency is close to the same level as third-grade reading. Looking across all subjects and grades combined, the school’s overall proficiency index is above the midpoint when compared to the only other district in Nelson County. That is a strength worth noting, though the comparison set is very small.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to tell from this data alone whether performance has been improving or slipping. The school’s website or the district office might be able to provide that context. No program data was reported, so a parent choosing this school would want to ask about offerings such as gifted services, special education, arts, and enrichment beyond the core curriculum, especially since the school serves the upper elementary years when students begin to develop deeper academic interests.
Civil rights data, including discipline rates and attendance, was absent from the information provided. It is common for such data to be less available at the elementary level, but a family may want to inquire about the school’s approach to behavior and school climate directly.
The community context matters for families considering moving to the area. Bardstown has seen steady population growth and continues to draw economic activity from its bourbon distilleries and tourism. The downtown is compact and walkable, with a historic district, museums, and a state park within the city. Housing values in the area are somewhat above the Kentucky average but below the national typical level. The local economy is diversified beyond bourbon, with manufacturing in other sectors and a growing industrial park. The district brief turned up no major recent changes that parents would need to know about, such as boundary shifts, new programming, or leadership transitions.
Overall, Bardstown Elementary is a school where proficiency in reading and math tends to improve as students move through the grades, and where the school holds an above-average position relative to the only comparison district in the county. The student population is economically diverse, and the community is a small city with a bourbon-driven economy and a historic character. A parent considering this school should look into the specific program offerings and support services, as well as the school’s approach to discipline and attendance, since those data points were not available in this report.
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