South Hopkins Middle School, Nortonville KY

Original Research by School Decision on South Hopkins Middle School

South Hopkins Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade students in Nortonville, a small residential community in southeastern Hopkins County. The town traces its origins to the railroad and coal mining eras and today functions as a crossroads settlement along US Routes 41 and 62, with limited commercial activity and a population that has grown very slowly over recent years. South Hopkins is a regular public school within the Hopkins County district.

In state assessments, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Hopkins County, a set that covers two district-level systems. Math performance shows variation by grade: sixth-grade results fall near the halfway mark, seventh-grade math is a stronger area with a larger share of students meeting proficiency, while eighth-grade math is noticeably lower. In English language arts, the pattern runs downward from sixth to eighth grade, with each successive cohort showing a smaller share of proficient students. Seventh-grade science and eighth-grade social studies both have a minority of students reaching the proficient threshold. A parent may want to ask the school about the drop in eighth-grade scores and how the school supports students who are not yet on grade level.

The student body reflects the surrounding community: the large majority of students are white, with small numbers of Black, Hispanic, multiracial, and Asian students represented. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, pointing to a moderate-income peer environment. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported in the available state files, so a family with a child in either of those populations may wish to contact the school directly about supports and services.

Nortonville itself is a low-density town of modest footprint, with most local workers likely commuting to nearby Madisonville for employment. Housing values in the area are well below the state median and the national median, and year-over-year values have declined slightly. The school is situated along Hopkinsville Road on the town's outskirts; nearby civic facilities include a small recreational lake and the city hall, which occupies a former Works Progress Administration-era high school building. The town has no public transit or public library of its own.

No data on programs such as arts, athletics, or career pathways were available for this school. Information on chronic absenteeism and discipline outcomes was also missing. Because South Hopkins serves only grades six through eight, high school metrics such as graduation rate do not apply. The district-level strategic priorities and recent changes were not found in our search. Families evaluating the school will want to confirm directly what enrichment and intervention resources are available beyond the core academic offerings.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 42% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median

Grade 760%

School 60% · District 46% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 36% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 647%

School 47% · District 54% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 44%

▼ 5 pts below state median

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 43% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median

Science

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 26% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median

Social studies

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 42% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median

This schoolHopkins 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-income40%Higher-income60%20 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income38%Higher-income51%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income31%Higher-income42%11 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income51%Higher-income57%6 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income64%Higher-income56%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income39%Higher-income36%3 pp gap