Washington County Elementary School, Springfield KY

Original Research by School Decision on Washington County Elementary School

Washington County Elementary School is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Springfield, the county seat of Washington County. It is the only elementary school in the district, and it operates as a neighborhood school for this small, rural community. For a family considering this area, the school is the primary public option for elementary grades, drawing students from the town and surrounding farmland.

The student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful share of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. A large portion of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which points to a community with moderate economic challenges. The school’s enrollment is moderate for its grade band, and class sizes appear to be within typical ranges for a Kentucky elementary school of this size.

Academically, the picture is mixed, with results that a parent would want to examine closely. On state assessments administered in the most recent school year, math proficiency was below the majority mark across grades three, four, and five. Reading results showed more variation: third graders performed at a level close to the majority mark, while fourth graders were well below that level, and fifth graders fell in between. Science proficiency for fourth graders and social studies proficiency for fifth graders were both below the majority mark. Overall, the school’s academic performance leans lower than what many families hope for in core subjects. A parent may want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are not yet at grade level and what interventions are in place.

Springfield itself is a historic, low-density town organized around a traditional public square with the county courthouse at its center. The town has seen modest population growth and retains a rural character. Housing values in the area are moderate, roughly in line with Kentucky’s overall median and well below the national typical level, making it a relatively affordable place to live. The local economy is anchored by government, agriculture, and a newer film industry presence, though specific major employers are not publicly prominent. The district’s most recent publicly reported assessments and operations do not show major recent curriculum overhauls, boundary changes, or tax referendums; it appears to be a stable, if budget-conscious, rural school system.

Because Washington County Elementary serves only through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate or secondary-program data to report here. No information on advanced coursework, arts offerings, or STEM programs was available, so a parent with specific interests should ask directly. Staffing, discipline, and chronic absenteeism data were also missing from the public record, meaning a family may need to call the school or attend a parent meeting to get a fuller picture of school climate. The school is not a charter or magnet; it is a traditional neighborhood public school, and it does not appear to operate under Title I designation based on available information.

In short, this is a community school in a quiet, rural county seat, serving a population with significant economic need and producing academic outcomes that are below typical state expectations in several areas. It may fit a family who values a small-town setting, a close school-community connection, and affordable housing, but who also wants to be actively engaged in monitoring their child’s academic progress and advocating for supports as needed.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 334%

School 34% · District 30% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median

Grade 436%

School 36% · District 33% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 36% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 44% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 431%

School 31% · District 33% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 42% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median

Science

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 28% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median

Social studies

Grade 532%

School 32% · District 30% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median

This schoolWashington 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-income54%Higher-income48%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income28%Higher-income38%10 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income44%Higher-income57%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income32%Higher-income38%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income29%Higher-income50%21 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income57%22 pp gap