The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in Math. The lowest is 14% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Parker-bennett-curry School
Parker-Bennett-Curry School is a regular public elementary school in Bowling Green, Kentucky, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Bowling Green Independent district. It is a neighborhood school in a city that blends manufacturing, a university presence, and suburban residential areas. Western Kentucky University anchors the local economy, and major employers include General Motors, Fruit of the Loom, and Spalding. Bowling Green has seen steady population growth, and the city’s position along Interstate 65 between Nashville and Louisville continues to drive expansion.
The school enrolls a modest number of students for its grade band. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse: roughly equal shares of Black and Hispanic students each make up about a third of the enrollment, with White students representing about a fifth, and smaller percentages of Asian students and students identifying as two or more races. Nearly all students at Parker-Bennett-Curry qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of the economic circumstances of the families it serves. Data on students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those support structures.
State testing results from the most recent school year show that proficiency rates across math, reading, science, and social studies are low. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above was about a quarter in third and fourth grade, and lower in fifth grade. In English language arts, proficiency was around a fifth in third grade, a quarter in fourth, and a little more than a quarter in fifth. Science proficiency for fourth graders was notably low, and social studies proficiency for fifth graders was also low. These numbers place Parker-Bennett-Curry’s overall proficiency index well below the midpoint among districts in Warren County—in fact, it ranks toward the bottom when compared with the county’s two school systems. A parent considering this school should know that academic attainment is a significant area of concern and may want to discuss with the school what supports and interventions are in place.
Because Parker-Bennett-Curry serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism data was provided. Information on course offerings, staffing ratios, and discipline was also not available in this profile. The school’s website or a direct conversation with the office would be the best way to learn about after-school programs, enrichment, or family engagement opportunities.
The housing market in the school’s zip code is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks. Home values and rents have been rising slowly, and the area remains more affordable than many parts of the country. The school is located on Webb Drive in Bowling Green, in a part of the city that is car-dependent for most errands, though downtown and the university campus are a short drive away.
Parker-Bennett-Curry is a school where the student population is overwhelmingly low-income and ethnically diverse, and where state test scores suggest that many students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks. A family weighing this school would want to look closely at academic programming, tutoring, and how the school addresses learning gaps. The district, Bowling Green Independent, did not have any major recent changes publicly reported that would shift its direction in a new way, so the school’s current trajectory appears stable. For a family that values a diverse, close-knit elementary setting and is prepared to partner with the school on academic growth, Parker-Bennett-Curry is worth investigating further. But the test results are a clear signal that the school has substantial work ahead in raising achievement.
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