Sixth District Elementary School, Covington KY

Original Research by School Decision on Sixth District Elementary School

Sixth District Elementary School is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Covington, Kentucky, part of the Covington Independent district. It sits in an older urban neighborhood near the Ohio River, within a city that has a dense, walkable northern core, multiple historic districts, and a mix of residential and industrial heritage. The school itself is a neighborhood elementary, and its enrollment is moderate for its grade band.

State assessment results from the 2024-25 school year show that proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades are below what many families might hope for. In math, the share of students reaching the proficient or higher level is modest across all tested grades, with fourth grade the strongest among them. In reading and language arts, rates are higher than in math but still below half of students in every grade, with third graders performing somewhat better than fourth and fifth graders. Science proficiency in fourth grade is also limited, and social studies proficiency in fifth grade is notably low. When placed against other school districts in Kenton County, the school’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. This is a soft spot a parent would want to understand more fully by talking with the school about what supports and interventions are in place.

The student body is diverse and economically disadvantaged. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, marking the school as one serving a high-poverty community. Racially, the largest group is Hispanic, followed by White and Black students, with a notable share of students identifying as two or more races, and a small Asian population. The school does not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about those populations and the services available.

Covington is an established city that has experienced redevelopment in recent decades after a period of mid-century decline. Home values in the Covington ZIP codes are moderate relative to national and state benchmarks, and rents are similarly moderate. The area is served by bus transit and has a range of civic and cultural anchors, including the Roebling Suspension Bridge and several historic districts. Major highway access and proximity to Cincinnati shape daily life for many families. The Covington Independent district has one of the lowest school tax rates in Northern Kentucky, a point of public discussion in recent budget decisions. Elsewhere in the district, Glenn O. Swing Elementary was recently recognized as a Model Laboratory School by the state for its success with historically underserved students, though that designation does not apply directly to Sixth District.

The school does not have publicly available data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, gifted or special programs, or course offerings. That leaves meaningful gaps in the picture. Parents evaluating Sixth District Elementary would want to visit, observe classrooms, and ask about how the school addresses its academic challenges and what enrichment or support structures exist for its students. For a family that values a diverse, urban setting and is prepared to engage closely with the school around student progress, this is a school to investigate with an open, questioning approach.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 319%

School 19% · District 29% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 436%

School 36% · District 41% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 32% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 46% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 438%

School 38% · District 49% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 44% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Science

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 41% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 34% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

This schoolCovington Independent, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income36%7 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income22%Higher-income27%5 pp gap