The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on New Highland Elementary School
New Highland Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, as part of the Hardin County school system. The school is a regular public elementary school, not a charter or magnet. Elizabethtown is the county seat of Hardin County, a regional hub with a historic downtown core, manufacturing in automotive parts and industrial products, and a location roughly fifteen miles south of Fort Knox, which shapes the local economy. The city has seen steady population growth over recent decades, and the school sits within a community that blends a historic downtown with commercial corridors and residential neighborhoods.
The student body at New Highland Elementary is diverse. White students make up the largest share, followed by Black and Hispanic students each at a similar proportion, and a smaller share of students who identify as two or more races. Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students each represent a very small share of the enrollment. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a significant portion of families in the attendance zone have lower household incomes. The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, and the enrollment is spread fairly evenly across the elementary grades, with slightly larger numbers in fourth and fifth grade.
On the Kentucky Summative Assessment, New Highland Elementary’s results show a mixed picture. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient or above was similar across third, fourth, and fifth grades, with just under half of students meeting that bar in each grade. In English language arts, the share was slightly lower in third grade, while fourth and fifth graders performed at a similar level to each other. Science results, tested in fourth grade, showed about a third of students reaching proficiency. Social studies, tested in fifth grade, showed a lower share reaching proficiency. When compared to other districts in Hardin County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the academic support and enrichment available.
The school serves a student population that is majority white, with Black and Hispanic students each making up a notable share, and a smaller share of students who identify as two or more races. Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students each represent a very small share. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch is substantial, indicating that many families in the attendance zone have lower household incomes. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials.
New Highland Elementary is part of the Hardin County school system. The district brief did not identify any recent major changes or initiatives of lasting impact, so there is little to report on that front. The school itself is a regular elementary school with no charter or magnet designation, and no Title I status was reported in the data.
Housing in the area around the school is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks. Home values in the zip code are slightly above the state average but below the national median. Rents have been rising modestly. The local housing market is more affordable than many parts of the country, which aligns with the city’s reputation for abundant affordable housing options. The national unemployment rate has been stable, and mortgage rates have fluctuated in a narrow range, which provides some general economic context for families considering a move to the area.
For a family considering New Highland Elementary, the picture is one of a mid-sized elementary school in a growing regional hub with a diverse student body and a substantial share of students from lower-income households. Academic proficiency on state assessments is mixed, with math and English language arts results where roughly two-fifths to just under half of students meet the bar, and science and social studies results where a smaller share do. The school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among Hardin County districts, which is a soft spot a parent may want to explore further with the school. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. The district itself did not have any recent major changes or initiatives identified in the search. For families weighing options, New Highland Elementary offers a regular public elementary program in a growing, moderately priced community with a diverse student body, and the academic results are an area to investigate directly with the school.
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