Harlan County Schools Superintendent Brent Roark says he is “very proud” of the achievement at each of his district’s schools in the latest round of assessment results released by the Kentucky Department of Education.

All of the district’s schools were listed in the top category of “other,” with the only exception being one sub group in the middle grades at Cumberland Middle School.

“This shows the hard work of our teachers and support staff,” he said. “Harlan County Public Schools continue the commitment for high quality education to prepare students to transition to postsecondary education and careers.”

Roark explained the release of the assessment data on September 26th, created a scramble to see which schools ranked at the top and which were on the dreaded “worst schools in Kentucky list.”

Locally, he said, the emphasis has been on reviewing each school’s results and not ranking or comparing to others.

“As has been the case for the last several years, the accountability model is in a state of transition with this report,” he said. No single numbers were assigned by the Kentucky Department of Education to schools for any type of ranking.

Each elementary and middle school received scores in three categories – Proficiency (math and reading), Separate Academic Indicators (science, social studies and on demand writing) and Growth.

“When looking at scores based on proficiency percentages, the district’s leaders in accountability were Evarts and James A. Cawood elementary schools,” said Roark. “We are really proud of all our schools, but special recognition should go to both Evarts and JACES. Both of these schools are consistently becoming two of the district’s top performers.”

High schools received three scores in the categories of transition readiness, graduation rate and proficiency.

Even though no rankings were released and the only designations given to schools were CSI, TSI and “other,” some of the state’s major media outlets used parts of the data, such as the proficiency indicator (math and reading only), to assign schools a ranked score. This need to rank and rate schools resulted in a somewhat unbalanced view of overall academic achievement in schools throughout the state.

“Keep in mind, that by rating schools just on the proficiency indicator, you are omitting science, social studies, on-demand writing, transition readiness and graduation rate,” he said.

“Other” is the top rating at the elementary, middle and high school levels. All schools in the district ranked in that top category, with the exception of the middle grades at Cumberland. The Cumberland middle was labeled as a TSI (Target Assistance) school based on the scores of a free and reduced lunch sub group on the proficiency category.

“In the Harlan County district, we have chosen to focus on the number of assessed areas that exceeded state average in all academic areas as a way to acknowledge the district’s outstanding academic achievement,” said Roark.

“Since the Kentucky Department of Education did not rank any school, and the only available rankings from the media outlets focused on the proficiency indicator (math and reading only) and ignored all the components included in accountability, we felt the only equitable way to acknowledge our schools’ achievements is to recognize them for exceeding the state average in all assessed subjects at the respective assessed grades,” he said.

The Kentucky Department of Education will have a star rating system in place next year to allow for a more precise picture of school ratings throughout the state.

Award presentations will be made to the following schools at the next principals’ meeting and the next board of education meeting for outstanding achievement.

Here are the schools and areas that exceed state averages:

Black Mountain: Third grade reading and math, fourth grade reading and science, fifth grade reading, sixth grade reading and math, seventh grade reading, seventh grade science, eighth grade reading and social studies. Eleven areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

Cawood: Third grade reading, fourth grade reading and science, fifth grade math and social studies, sixth grade reading and math, seventh grade reading, math and science, eighth grade reading and math. Twelve areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

Cumberland: Fourth grade reading and science, fifth grade reading and seventh grade reading. Four areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

Evarts: Third grade reading and math, fifth grade reading, social studies and on-demand writing, sixth grade reading and math, seventh grade reading, math and science, eighth grade reading, math social studies on-demand writing. Fourteen areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

Green Hills: Fourth grade reading and science, sixth grade reading, seventh grade science, eighth grade reading and social studies. Six areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

James A. Cawood Elementary School: Third grade reading and math, fourth grade reading, math and science, fifth grade reading, math and social studies, sixth grade reading, seventh grade reading and math and eighth grade reading, math and on-demand writing. Fourteen areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

Rosspoint: Fifth grade reading and social studies, sixth grade reading, seventh grade reading, math and science, eighth grade reading, math and social studies. Nine areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

Wallins: Fifth grade social studies and on-demand writing, sixth grade math, seventh grade reading, eighth grade math and social studies. Six areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

District: Third grade reading, fourth grade reading, fifth grade reading and social studies, seventh grade reading and science, and eighth grade reading, math, science and social studies. Ten areas were above state averages for combined proficient and distinguished scores.

Roark said, “We have a variety of programs available to students at our high school that extend far beyond basic academics. We have agriculture, extensive and free dual credit classes, Project Lead the Way for engineering studies, Army JROTC, culinary, webpage design, art, music programs and many others. We have excellent extra-curricular activities to provide a well-rounded education to our students. We have opportunities for our students not seen in many high schools, such as soccer, archery, bass fishing, FCCLA and numerous others. Together all these classes and programs go well beyond what is measured on the state assessment.”