The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Social studies. The lowest is 25% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Booker T Washington Elementary School
Booker T Washington Elementary School serves a predominantly low-income student population in Lexington, within the Fayette County Public Schools district. The school is a regular public elementary school covering pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It enrolls a modest number of students for that grade band, and the student body is racially and ethnically diverse. The largest groups are Black students and Hispanic students, each making up a substantial share of the enrollment, while White students and students of two or more races form smaller groups. More than three-quarters of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The data did not provide counts for students with disabilities or English learners, gaps a parent may want to explore directly with the school.
Lexington itself is the second-largest city in Kentucky, a consolidated city-county that blends a major university town with a globally recognized thoroughbred horse industry. It is home to the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University, as well as Keeneland and The Red Mile race courses. The city’s built environment is largely auto-oriented, though downtown has a more walkable core. The University of Kentucky is the city’s largest employer. Lexington famously enacted the nation’s first urban growth boundary, a policy that restricts new development to an urban service area and preserves open space for horse farms. The population has seen modest growth in recent years following the 2020 census.
State testing results at Booker T Washington Elementary are available for the most recent school year, and the pattern shows that proficiency rates in both math and reading are low compared to state averages. In third grade, roughly a quarter of students met the proficient or above standard in reading, and a similar share did so in math. Fourth-grade reading proficiency was notably lower. Fifth-grade results were somewhat higher, with about a third of students proficient in math and a similar share in reading. Fifth-grade social studies proficiency followed a comparable pattern. Fourth-grade science results were suppressed, so no public data is available for that subject. These figures suggest the school is serving a population that, on the whole, is performing below grade-level expectations, a situation that often accompanies high poverty and concentrated disadvantage. A parent considering this school will want to investigate what academic interventions and supports are in place.
Because the comparison set included only the parent district itself, the available data does not allow a direct comparison to other districts in Fayette County. There is no graduation rate for the school, as it does not serve high school grades. Discipline data, course access, staffing ratios, and attendance rates were not reported in the data provided.
For a family weighing this school, the main takeaway is that Booker T Washington Elementary is a high-poverty, diverse school in a city with a stable economy and deliberate growth management. The academic results are weak, and the school does not currently post the kind of proficiency numbers that many families seek. A parent who is able should visit the school, talk to current families, and ask about the specific reading and math interventions used, how the school addresses gaps in learning, and what enrichment opportunities exist. For a family already committed to this attendance zone, a close partnership with the school and an active role in the child’s learning at home will likely be important.
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