Hindman Elementary School, Hindman KY

Original Research by School Decision on Hindman Elementary School

Hindman Elementary School is a regular public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the small Appalachian town that is the Knott County seat. It is the only elementary-level school in the county district, meaning nearly all local children in that grade range attend here.

Hindman itself is a very small, compact town set in a narrow valley where two forks of Troublesome Creek meet. It functions as the civic center for the surrounding county, with the courthouse, library, and a few local businesses along Main Street. The town was among the communities hardest hit by the catastrophic July 2022 flooding that killed dozens across eastern Kentucky. Recovery from that event remains a dominant local reality, and no major new housing or commercial growth has been reported. Housing costs reflect the area's economic challenges: home values are well below state and national averages, and a majority of students at this school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The student body is small for a school that spans early childhood through middle school. Enrollment is predominantly white, with very few students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. The share of students from low-income households is high, which often correlates with additional academic and family support needs. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school about those programs directly.

State testing results from the most recent year show a mixed picture. In reading, proficiency rates are moderate, with stronger performance in grades three and five and somewhat lower rates in grades seven and eight. In math, proficiency varies more noticeably across grades. Sixth grade stands out with a higher share of students meeting standards, while several other grades, especially eighth grade, show lower proficiency. Science and social studies results were partially suppressed or reported only for certain grades, with social studies proficiency notably lower in eighth grade. Overall, the school's academic outcomes are uneven, and a parent exploring this school may want to ask about targeted supports in math during the later middle-school years and about how the school works with students who are behind.

The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing was available, leaving those aspects of school climate uncharacterized here. Program offerings such as art, music, or extracurriculars were also not provided in the available information; interested families would need to contact the school directly for that detail.

For a family considering Hindman Elementary, the key factors are its small, rural setting in a tight-knit community that has endured recent hardship, a student body with high economic need, and academic results that suggest room for growth, particularly in math and in the upper grades. The school's role as the sole elementary campus in the county means it is the default option for local families, and choice within the public system is essentially absent. A parent weighing this school should examine classroom supports, intervention programs, and how the school addresses the varied proficiency across grade levels. The broader community context, including the ongoing recovery from the 2022 floods and limited local economic opportunities, is a practical reality that shapes daily life here.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 54% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Grade 434%

School 34% · District 50% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 36% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median

Grade 654%

School 54% · District 43% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median

Grade 742%

School 42% · District 38% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 40% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 360%

School 60% · District 62% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median

Grade 449%

School 49% · District 60% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 60% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median

Grade 660%

School 60% · District 58% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median

Grade 751%

School 51% · District 45% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 43%

▲ 1 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 40% · ▼ 2 pts below district

even with state median

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 39% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median

This schoolKnott 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 4Lower-income54%Higher-income33%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income48%Higher-income56%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income33%Higher-income55%22 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income37%Higher-income25%12 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income59%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income33%Higher-income56%23 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income22%Higher-income40%18 pp gap