The Kentucky Department of Education has released data from the 2025-2026 Kentucky Summative Assessments including an overall color-coded rating for each school, and district ranging from red (lowest) to blue (highest).
Bowling Green Independent School District is rated green (high) at the high school level and yellow (medium) at the elementary and middle school levels. School overall data classifies schools in the district from orange to green. Bowling Green High School is rated as green, Bowling Green Junior High School, Potter Gray Elementary, T. C. Cherry Elementary and W. R. McNeill Elementary are all rated as yellow (medium), and Dishman McGinnis and Parker-Bennett-Curry are rated orange (low).
OVERALL SCORES
STATE | FEDERAL CLASSIFICATION | |
BGHS | 71.7 (green) | Additional Targeted Support & Improvement: English Learners plus Monitored |
BGJHS | 58.3 (yellow) | Additional Targeted Support & Improvement: Students with Disabilities |
T. C. Cherry | 55.1 (yellow) | |
Dishman McGinnis | 41.0 (orange) | |
PBC | 50.4 (orange) | |
Potter Gray | 66.2 (yellow) | |
W. R. McNeill | 63.8 (yellow) |
Schoolwide data is compiled from the Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA) which is given in grades 3 through 8, 10 and 11 to Kentucky public school students during the last 15 days of the school year. Kentucky's annual summative assessment is designed to measure student proficiency and progress on the Kentucky Academic Standards.
KSA provides content area assessments, including reading and mathematics (grades 3 through 8 and 10), science (grades 4, 7, 11), on-demand writing and editing and mechanics (grades 5, 8, 11), and social studies (grades 5, 8, 11).
The 2026 KSA was given online with only a small percentage of students testing on paper. It included multiple choice as well as extended response questions where students demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as their ability to construct responses.
Accountability scores are then weighted to calculate the school’s overall score. Federal law requires the greatest emphasis on reading and mathematics and English language progress at elementary and middle schools. At high school, federal law requires emphasis on reading and mathematics and graduation rate. While both federal and state indicator scores use the same foundational components, the federal score includes a calculation of change by averaging the current and two prior years scores to show a school’s measure of improvement over three years. The state’s overall score is used to determine the color ratings.
Superintendent Gary Fields notes the effort and progress across the district. He says, “I continue to be proud of the learning opportunities for students in all of our schools and the effort made each and every day by our faculty, staff, and students.”
To highlight areas in the assessment and accountability results:
English Learner progress across the district continues to improve, specifically at the elementary level. More than 27% of BGISD elementary students are English Learners and scores show students making significant progress in becoming proficient in English.
BGHS reading scores increased over last year's results as well as improvements in math and postsecondary readiness.
Potter Gray science scores improved over last year's results and individual grade levels saw significant improvement in reading. Current year scores in Reading/Math and Science/Social Studies/Writing remain within the “High” indicator status.
Parker-Bennett-Curry saw growth in three areas: reading and math, science, social studies and combined writing, and progress on English Language Proficiency.
T. C. Cherry also improved scores in Science, Social Studies and Writing.
Dishman McGinnis noted improvement in 5th grade reading and math; students scoring proficient and distinguished in reading grew by 12% and math by 9%. Dishman McGinnis also improved scores in the Climate and School Culture Survey by 8% over last year.
BGISD will continue to strengthen instruction so that more students meet grade-level standards in reading and mathematics. At the elementary level, teachers are implementing Benchmark Advance for reading and in math, elementary schools as well as BGJHS are utilizing Amplify mathematics resources. Teachers will use classroom assessments and district screening data to identify learning needs, adjust instruction, and provide targeted support.
At BGJHS and BGHS, priorities include strengthening reading and mathematics achievement and improving performance in science, social studies, and writing. Both schools will focus on addressing gaps for students with disabilities and multilingual learners. At the high school, continued attention to academic and career preparation will support students’ readiness for life after graduation.
Assessments provide only one measure of student learning. When combined with grades, classroom activities, student projects, personalized learning opportunities, and school and district-level measures and processes, the end-of-year assessments can help provide a more complete picture of student abilities over the course of the school year.
To view the performance and participation of our district and schools, visit the www.kyschoolreportcard.com.