The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on East Heights Elementary School
East Heights Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the city of Henderson, Kentucky, a community that functions as the county seat and the southernmost suburb of the Evansville, Indiana, metropolitan area. The school is a regular public school within the Henderson County district, and it operates from a single campus. For a family looking at this school, the first thing to know is that it is the only elementary school option within the district that covers this specific attendance zone, and the district itself is the sole school system in Henderson County, so comparisons to neighboring districts are not available at this level.
Academically, the most recent state assessments show a school where proficiency across tested grades and subjects is mixed, with some grades performing notably stronger than others. In reading and language arts, third graders posted a proficiency rate that was solidly above the midpoint of the typical range, while fourth graders dipped to a lower rate, and fifth graders came back up to a higher rate. In math, the trend was upward by grade: third graders had a lower rate, fourth graders showed a moderate rate, and fifth graders reached the highest rate in the school for that subject. Science is tested in fourth grade only, and that rate was lower than both the math and ELA results for that grade. Social studies, tested in fifth grade, landed at a rate comparable to the fifth-grade ELA outcome. Because the school does not serve older grades, there is no graduation rate, and the data does not include multi-year trends that would show whether these results are improving or declining over time.
The student body is diverse in background but predominantly white, with a substantial share of students who are multiracial and a smaller number of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. A significant portion of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a common indicator of household economic need. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the data provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Henderson itself is a city with a stable population and an economy balanced among manufacturing, agriculture, and government jobs. Housing values in the area are below both the Kentucky state median and the national median, and the cost of a mortgage is relatively moderate compared to national benchmarks. The city’s downtown sits on a bluff above the Ohio River, with a riverfront park, trails, and a water park, though the overall layout is car-oriented. The wider district has been making several changes that affect elementary families: the district has adopted structured literacy practices aligned with the science of reading, including systematic phonics instruction, with professional development for teachers. It has also been investing in facility upgrades such as roof replacements, HVAC improvements, and security upgrades across multiple school buildings. Property tax rates for the district increased slightly in recent years, though the increase stayed below the threshold that would trigger a voter referendum.
For a parent or resident, East Heights offers a standard elementary program within a district that is actively reforming reading instruction and upgrading its physical plants. The proficiency results show that the school has stronger outcomes in upper elementary grades, particularly in math and reading by fifth grade, while fourth-grade science and fourth-grade reading are softer spots. The absence of data on special education and English learner services is a gap a parent should fill with a direct inquiry. The school’s setting in a mid-sized Ohio River city with below-national housing costs may appeal to families looking for a less expensive market with access to a broader metropolitan area.
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