Clays Mill Elementary School, Lexington KY

Original Research by School Decision on Clays Mill Elementary School

Clays Mill Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Lexington, Kentucky, as a regular public school within the Fayette County district. It is a neighborhood elementary school in a city that blends a major university presence, a global horse industry, and suburban residential neighborhoods. Lexington is a consolidated city-county, the second-largest in Kentucky, and its economy is anchored by the University of Kentucky, healthcare, and the thoroughbred industry. The city manages growth through the nation's first urban growth boundary, which contains development within an urban service area and preserves rural land for horse farms, meaning that new subdivisions and infill projects occur within a defined footprint rather than sprawling outward.

The school's enrollment is a modest size for an elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller but present share of students who identify as two or more races, followed by smaller Hispanic, Black, and Asian populations. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is moderate, reflecting a student population that includes a range of economic backgrounds, though it is not a high-poverty school by that measure. Data on the share of students with an Individualized Education Program or who are English learners was not available.

Academically, Clays Mill Elementary shows a pattern of solid to strong performance on the Kentucky Summative Assessment, with the strongest results in the upper elementary grades. In reading, proficiency rates rise from third to fourth grade and reach a very high level in fifth grade, where the overwhelming majority of tested students scored proficient or above. In math, the pattern is similar: third and fourth grade show solid proficiency, and fifth grade posts a notably high rate. Science, tested in fourth grade, is a softer area, with a moderate proficiency rate that a parent may want to ask the school about further. Social studies, tested in fifth grade, shows a strong proficiency rate. Overall, the trajectory across grade levels suggests that students tend to gain ground as they move through the school, and fifth grade in particular stands out as a strong finish. Because there was only one school district in the comparison set, the data did not support a comparative position against other districts in Fayette County.

The housing context reflects the Lexington market. Home values in the school's area are above the state benchmark and roughly in line with national figures, with modest year-over-year appreciation. Rents have also risen modestly. The typical home in this area is expensive relative to state averages, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment exceeds the typical rent by a modest margin, meaning buying is somewhat more costly than renting at current interest rates. For families considering a move to this attendance zone, the financial calculus is similar to many stable, mid-sized cities with a strong university and professional employment base.

No data was reported on program offerings, magnet or charter status, or civil rights and discipline topics, so that picture is incomplete. The school is not a charter school, and its Title I status was not provided. A parent interested in specific enrichment offerings, support services, or the school's approach to student behavior would need to follow up directly with the school or the Fayette County district office.

For a family seeking a solid, traditional elementary school in a stable Lexington neighborhood with strong academic performance in the upper grades, particularly in reading and math by fifth grade, Clays Mill Elementary fits that profile. The school does not carry the added programs or specialized identity of a magnet, but it appears to deliver consistent results within a regular public school framework. The main academic soft spot, fourth-grade science, is limited to a single tested subject and grade. The city context offers access to a large university, cultural venues, horse country, and a managed-growth environment, which suits families who want an urban-suburban mix with defined boundaries rather than unchecked sprawl.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 371%

School 71% · District 45% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 469%

School 69% · District 49% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 581%

School 81% · District 49% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 363%

School 63% · District 50% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 480%

School 80% · District 53% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 591%

School 91% · District 53% · ▲ 38 pts above district

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Science

Grade 463%

School 63% · District 40% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 583%

School 83% · District 43% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above 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 3Lower-income32%Higher-income79%47 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income65%Higher-income89%24 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income76%Higher-income96%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income48%Higher-income83%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income68%Higher-income85%17 pp gap