Ashland Independent

The Ashland Independent School District in Kentucky serves 9 schools, including 6 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district's schools exhibit a range of academic performance, with some standout institutions like Paul G. Blazer High School and Poage Elementary School leading the way, while others, such as Crabbe Elementary School and Oakview Elementary School, struggle to meet benchmarks.

Paul G. Blazer High School stands out as the top-performing school in the district, ranking 73rd out of 276 Kentucky high schools and earning a 4-star rating. Its test scores are consistently above the district and state averages, with 54% proficiency in ACT English, 31% in ACT Math, and 48% in ACT Reading. In contrast, Charles Russell Elementary School has the lowest student-teacher ratio in the district at 9.6, which may contribute to its solid test scores, with 45-50% proficiency in Math, Reading, and Science.

The data suggests a potential correlation between the free/reduced lunch rates and academic performance, with schools serving higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students, like Crabbe Elementary, tending to have lower test scores compared to schools with lower free/reduced lunch rates, such as Paul G. Blazer High. The Ashland Independent School District has an opportunity to identify the factors contributing to the performance gaps between schools and implement targeted strategies to improve the outcomes for all students, particularly in the lower-performing schools.