Lexington Trad Magnet School, Lexington KY

Original Research by School Decision on Lexington Trad Magnet School

Lexington Trad Magnet School serves grades six through eight in downtown Lexington, part of the Fayette County public school system. It is a regular public school, not a charter, and its name suggests a traditional academic focus, though the data does not clarify whether it operates with a distinct magnet program or admission process. The student body numbers around three hundred, making it a smaller middle school within the district.

The demographic makeup reflects the broader diversity of Lexington’s urban core. A substantial majority of students come from low-income households, as measured by free or reduced-price meal eligibility. Black students make up the largest share of enrollment, followed by white students, with a notable Hispanic population and a smaller share of students identifying as two or more races. Asian and Native American students each represent a very small fraction of the school. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided records.

State assessment results for the 2024-25 school year show a mixed picture. In English language arts, the share of students reaching proficiency varied by grade, with seventh grade having the highest proportion, while sixth and eighth grades were lower. Math proficiency also varied, with seventh graders posting a higher rate than eighth graders; the sixth-grade math result was suppressed and not released. Science results for seventh grade and social studies for eighth grade were on the lower side. Across all tested subjects and grades, the majority of students did not score at the proficient or distinguished level. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school directly about its curriculum strategies and student support, particularly in math and science, to understand how these results compare to other middle schools in the district.

The school sits in the center of Lexington, a consolidated city-county that blends a major university presence, a thriving horse industry, and a growing bourbon scene. The University of Kentucky campus is just south of downtown, and the area around the school includes a mix of older neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and civic landmarks. Housing values in the surrounding ZIP code are moderate relative to national averages, with home prices near the state benchmark and rents that have risen appreciably over the past year. The affordability picture for a family earning a middle-class income leans toward renting rather than buying, as mortgage costs outpace rents.

Fayette County as a district is the only school system in the county, so there is no local inter-district comparison available within this data. The district itself has been the subject of facility planning and construction in recent years, but the specific information from that research was not provided here, so a parent may want to explore the district’s strategic plans and capital projects separately.

This school is best suited for a family seeking a relatively small, urban middle school with a traditional orientation in a diverse, centrally located setting. The proficiency data suggests that students may need additional academic support, and the high poverty rate indicates a school with many students facing economic challenges. Families who value close involvement with the school and its community might find a good fit here, while those prioritizing above-average test scores across all subjects will want to investigate further what interventions and programs the school offers to raise achievement.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 734%

School 34% · District 50% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 45% · ▼ 23 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 55% · ▼ 31 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 741%

School 41% · District 53% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 48% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Science

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 33% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Social studies

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 47% · ▼ 19 pts below district

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

This schoolFayette County, 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 6Lower-income19%Higher-income50%31 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income74%42 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income33%5 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income28%Higher-income58%30 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income20%Higher-income42%22 pp gap