Each year, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) releases assessment and accountability results for students, schools and districts across the Commonwealth. They serve as a reminder of where we are with our collective efforts to improve the education Kentucky’s children receive in the classroom.

The 2024-2025 results we released in November show students performed better than they have in recent years across several grade levels and subjects. Kentucky’s students performed commendably during their assessments and their hard work should be praised.

Robbie Fletcher

Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher

Kentucky students performed at proficient or distinguished levels at a higher rate during the 2024-2025 school year in reading and mathematics than they have in previous years. Several other categories were either slightly above or slightly below where they were in the 2023-2024 school year.

While we see several positive signs in this year’s assessment and accountability results, it’s important for us to look deeply into the data rather than just focusing on the ratings. This deeper analysis can provide valuable insights into specific areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. While this is valuable data, it is important for all of us to remember that this is information from one point in time. We at KDE are looking to keep students on an upward trajectory, just as I know all of you are.

While this year’s results show many signs of improvement, we also acknowledge there are many areas for improvement, including many of the same areas we saw growth in this past year. KDE has been working on several initiatives during the past few years that have already started making an impact on assessment and accountability results and should continue making an impact for years to come.

Thousands of educators have participated in programs like the Kentucky Reading Academies, which have already rapidly advanced outcomes for early learners since the professional learning program began three years ago, according to a recent independent report. KDE and various partners also have initiated numerous efforts to advance access to high-quality numeracy instruction, per the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act, including several different options for professional development for our educators.

All of this would not be possible without the support of lawmakers in Frankfort, so we are grateful to have it as we work together toward solutions that improve outcomes for the Commonwealth’s children. We appreciate the investments made by our state legislature in both numeracy and literacy, and our assessment results are showing a positive return on that investment.

Staff at KDE have been ramping up our community outreach work over the past two years to reduce chronic absenteeism, which is defined as when a student misses 10% or more of their time in school, including both excused and unexcused absences. One of the crucial first steps in helping our students succeed in school is making sure they attend regularly.

You may have seen our commercials this fall featuring the “You Belong!” message and highlighting all the ways students belong in the classroom and what they miss out on if they are absent. The campaign goes along with a variety of resources KDE has available on the Attendance Matters chronic absenteeism webpage, including guidance on when to keep your child home due to an illness, steps communities can take to promote school attendance and other information.

Encouragingly, we are starting to see results. In 2024-2025, Kentucky’s chronic absenteeism rate was 25%, a drop from 28% in 2023-2024 and 29.8% in 2022-2023. We hope to see this decline continue during the current school year as we find more ways to reach students, families and communities.

We know chronic absenteeism has been an issue for years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, but change – real change – comes only when families, educators and communities work together. This proves why collaboration is such a key part of the United We Learn vision for education – which emphasizes vibrant learning experiences, innovation and collaboration – and the education community appreciates the extra attention families have paid to this issue to bring more students into the classroom and keep them engaged in learning.

These encouraging results are a testament to the dedication and teamwork of educators throughout our schools and families throughout our communities. Achieving a decrease in chronic absenteeism and marked improvements in state assessment scores would not have been possible without the persistent efforts and shared commitment of teachers, administrators, support staff and parents working together for the best outcomes for our children.

I want to express my deep appreciation for every member of our education community who has contributed to these accomplishments. Your hard work continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Kentucky’s students.