The scorecard is a collaboration between the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and the Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University.
While the data show reading continues its a negative pre-pandemic trajectory in most of the 38 states surveyed, math scores paint a brighter picture. Kentucky was among the 32 states registering some growth between 2022 and 2025 -- though the commonwealth was not passed its pre-COVID averages.
The average student in Kentucky was performing 0.4 grade levels higher in math in 2025 compared with 2022.
Researchers identified 447 school districts as “On the Rise” in either math, reading or both. These school districts not only improved their test scores, but their growth rate was higher than other schools in the state with similar demographics, such as race and income.
Falling into that category were three Kentucky districts. Harlan and Johnson counties notched noticeable gains in math, while Clay County bucked the reading trend -- with students performing 1.6 grade levels higher than in 2022.