The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kennedy Elementary
Kennedy Elementary is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Jefferson County Public Schools system, located in Louisville. The school enrolls a substantial number of students, making it a sizable elementary school. Its student body is predominantly Black, with a much smaller share of Hispanic students and a very small share of white students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, meaning the school serves a community with high economic need. Data on the share of students with Individualized Education Programs and English learners was not reported here, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and multilingual learner supports.
On the Kentucky Summative Assessment, the school's results show that performance is a significant area of concern. In third-grade math, the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the single digits. Fourth-grade and fifth-grade math results were suppressed for privacy, likely due to very small group sizes. In English language arts, the proficiency rates were also low: in the low teens for third and fourth grade, and at one-fifth for fifth grade. Science results for fourth grade were in the single digits. Social studies results for fifth grade were suppressed. Compared with other districts in Jefferson County, Kennedy Elementary's overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile. These are sobering figures that a family considering this school would want to discuss with the school's administration to understand what instructional supports and interventions are in place.
Kennedy Elementary is located in Louisville, a large, consolidated city-county that is spread out over a wide land area for its population size. The area is largely car-dependent outside of the urban core. The local economy is anchored by major employers including UPS, Humana, and Yum! Brands. Housing in the immediate area is notably more affordable than both the Kentucky state benchmark and the national median home value. Rents are also below the national average, and the estimated rent-to-income ratio suggests that renting is relatively affordable for a typical household, though homeownership may still be a stretch for many given income levels.
The district brief for Jefferson County Public Schools did not surface any recently reported changes or initiatives, but the system is the largest in Kentucky. A parent considering Kennedy Elementary will want to investigate the school's specific academic supports, such as tutoring, intervention programs, and enrichment offerings, which were not detailed in the data here. The school's website would be the natural place to start for information about before- and after-school programs, family engagement, and any specialized curricula. Given the low proficiency rates, a close look at the school's plan for improvement and its progress over time would be essential for any family making a decision.
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