The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Camp Ernst Middle School
Camp Ernst Middle School, in Burlington, Kentucky, serves students in grades six through eight within the Boone County school district. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The student body is predominantly white, with modest shares of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a middle-income community with economic diversity. The school is large for a middle school, with a student count that puts it well above the size of many area middle schools.
On the Kentucky Summative Assessment, the school’s results show a clear pattern. In English language arts, proficiency rates are highest in seventh grade, where a majority of students met the state benchmark, followed closely by sixth grade. Eighth grade dips below the majority mark. In math, the pattern is steeper. Seventh graders posted the highest proficiency rate, sixth graders were a step behind, and eighth graders were lower still. Science, tested only in seventh grade, showed a rate that is markedly below the math and reading scores at that same grade level. Social studies, tested in eighth grade, fell below the majority mark as well. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Boone County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly around the drop in eighth-grade reading and math and the low science result.
The search for detailed program information at Camp Ernst did not return specifics. The broader district, Boone County Schools, has publicly reported a strategic plan emphasizing career pathways and college readiness, including expanded career and technical education at the high school level, which may shape the middle school curriculum over time. The district also opened a new elementary school in the fast-growing Hebron and Burlington corridor to relieve overcrowding, a sign of sustained enrollment pressure that may eventually affect middle school feeder patterns.
Burlington is a suburban census-designated place and the county seat of Boone County. It sits a moderate distance northeast of downtown Cincinnati, adjacent to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Its built environment is predominantly suburban, with Kentucky Route 18 as the main commercial strip. The historic core retains a nineteenth-century Publick Square layout and the Old Boone County Courthouse. The population has grown steadily in recent decades, and growth continues at a noticeable annual rate, accompanied by rising median household income. Housing values in the Burlington ZIP code are above both the state and national benchmarks, and rents are accordingly high, reflecting the area’s desirability as a Cincinnati bedroom community. Families moving into new subdivisions along the Hebron and Burlington corridor should expect Camp Ernst to receive that growth.
The school’s environment is one of a large, suburban middle school serving a broad socioeconomic band. The district’s attention to career pathways suggests that Camp Ernst students will enter high school with that pipeline in mind, but the school itself offers no specialized programs that appear in the available data. The school’s relative proficiency position within the county is below its two district peers, a fact that a parent weighing options may want to discuss during a visit. The school’s size and setting mean it can offer a typical middle school experience with elective and athletic opportunities common to comprehensive suburban middle schools, though no specific course access data was available to confirm the breadth. If a family values a cohesive, large suburban school community with a student body that reflects the area’s demographic mix, Camp Ernst is that school. If a family prioritizes top-tier academic results relative to the county, this school may not match expectations.
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