Kit Carson Elementary School, Richmond KY

Original Research by School Decision on Kit Carson Elementary School

Kit Carson Elementary School is a regular public school in Richmond, Kentucky, serving first through fifth grade as part of the Madison County district. Richmond itself is a mix of university town and regional commercial hub, home to Eastern Kentucky University and the county seat. The city has seen notable population growth over the past couple of decades, and its economy centers on the university, manufacturing, and the nearby Blue Grass Army Depot. Schools in Richmond fall under the county system, and Kit Carson is one of several elementary campuses in the area.

On state assessments, the school’s results vary by grade and subject. In math, the share of students reaching proficiency moves up and down across grades, with one grade level performing stronger than the others. In English language arts, the pattern is more consistent in the lower grades, then a clear jump appears in fifth grade, where a majority of students scored proficient. Science, tested only in fourth grade, shows a moderate proficiency rate. Social studies, tested in fifth grade, lands at a similar level. Compared to other districts within Madison County, Kit Carson’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint. That comparison set is a small one, with only three districts in the county, so the range is narrow. A parent may want to discuss with the school how the school approaches each subject and whether there are targeted supports for the grade levels where proficiency is weaker.

The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school did not report counts for students with disabilities or English learners in the available data, so those figures are unknown.

The housing market around the school reflects the broader Richmond area. Home values run above the state average, and rents have been rising modestly. At current mortgage rates, renting is more affordable than buying a typical home in the area, though both options cost a substantial portion of a typical household’s income. The community has been growing, with EKU’s expansion and Richmond’s role as a commercial and employment center drawing new residents.

The school environment data is thin. There is no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staff qualifications. The school is not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not reported.

Kit Carson Elementary offers a standard elementary program in a growing university town. The academic picture has bright spots in upper elementary reading and social studies, but math and science proficiency is lower in some grades, and the school’s overall standing relative to other districts in the county is modest. Families moving into the area should plan to visit, ask about grade-level support, and check on any recent curriculum or staffing changes, as the district brief found little publicly reported.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 325%

School 25% · District 42% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 46% · ▼ 1 pts below district

even with state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 49% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 46% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 443%

School 43% · District 53% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 62% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 438%

School 38% · District 39% · ▼ 1 pts below district

even with state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 47%

▲ 9 pts above state median · even with county median

This schoolMadison 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 3Lower-income33%Higher-income55%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income22%Higher-income65%43 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income77%25 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income17%Higher-income35%18 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income65%38 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income28%Higher-income41%13 pp gap