Dear CIPS Families and Team Members,
Today, the Kentucky Department of Education released the latest state assessment and accountability results for schools across the Commonwealth. I want to take a moment to share what these results tell us about where we are as a district, the progress we're making, and the important work that remains ahead.
There is progress worth celebrating.
Across our elementary schools, we are seeing encouraging signs of academic progress. Four of our five elementary schools earned an overall yellow accountability rating, and Ninth District Elementary School demonstrated the most substantial year-over-year improvement among our elementary schools.
Across the elementary grades, 47.4% of tested students scored proficient or distinguished in reading, 36.9% in mathematics, 38.2% in social studies, 36.5% in science, and 19.1% in combined writing.
There are also outcomes that require our immediate attention.
Our results at Holmes Middle School and Holmes High School are not where we need them to be. Holmes High School has demonstrated meaningful progress over the past several years, reflecting the dedication and sustained efforts of its educators, school leaders, and students. While this year's results did not continue that upward trajectory, we recognize the important work that has contributed to the school's progress since 2022. We remain committed to building on those efforts, celebrating the strengths within the Holmes community, and working collaboratively to identify opportunities for continued growth and student success.
Additionally, Holmes Middle School has been identified by the Kentucky Department of Education for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI). This designation means that Holmes Middle School's performance places it among the lowest-performing 5% of middle schools in Kentucky under the state's accountability system.
I recognize that this news may be difficult to hear, especially for the students, families, and dedicated educators who make up our Holmes Middle School community. But I want to be clear: this designation does not define the potential of our students, nor does it diminish the commitment of the many talented professionals who serve them every day. It does, however, reflect an urgent need for substantial and sustained improvement in student outcomes.
We must own that reality, understand the conditions contributing to these results, and respond with the urgency and intentionality our students deserve.
So, what are we doing about it?
Our responsibility is not simply to acknowledge these results. It is to use them to inform meaningful action.
We have already begun strengthening our districtwide approach to instructional improvement, with a focus on greater coherence, stronger instructional leadership, and more timely and intentional responses to evidence of student learning.
This includes:
Strengthening instructional quality and consistency. We are placing greater emphasis on the effective implementation of high-quality instructional resources, rigorous grade-level learning experiences, and classroom environments where students are actively engaged in meaningful thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving.
Using data to guide decisions throughout the year. State assessments provide important information, but we cannot afford to wait until next fall to learn whether our efforts are making a difference. Our school and district leaders are using more frequent assessments, classroom evidence, and other measures of student progress to identify needs, adjust instruction, and monitor the effectiveness of our strategies in real time.
Establishing clear priorities and measurable goals. Our school leadership teams have begun examining their current academic outcomes, identifying their most pressing areas for improvement, and developing strategies and indicators that will help us monitor progress and hold ourselves accountable.
Strengthening support and shared responsibility. Improving student outcomes cannot rest on the shoulders of individual teachers or school leaders alone. Our central office team has a responsibility to ensure schools have the guidance, resources, collaboration, and responsive support necessary to translate improvement plans into meaningful changes in classrooms.
For Holmes Middle School, we will also work closely with the Kentucky Department of Education and our school community to better understand the underlying challenges, engage in a comprehensive review of school practices and supports, and develop a focused, evidence-based approach to sustained improvement.
This work will require more than new plans or additional meetings. It will require us to be disciplined about implementation, honest about what our evidence tells us, and willing to adjust our approaches when they are not producing the results our students need.
Our people are our greatest strength.
I want to be especially intentional about acknowledging our educators, school leaders, and support staff. I know how hard you work. I see the care you extend to students, the relationships you build with families, and the countless ways you go above and beyond to create meaningful experiences for our children.
Our commitment to improving student outcomes is matched by an equally strong commitment to recognizing and supporting the people who make this work possible. I believe deeply in the educators and staff who serve our students, and I am confident in what we can accomplish together. As district leaders, we have a responsibility to build upon your strengths, listen to your experiences, remove barriers, and create the conditions that allow both our staff and students to thrive.
At the same time, our commitment to students requires us to recognize that effort and good intentions, while essential, must be accompanied by meaningful results. Our students deserve both our very best efforts and the educational outcomes those efforts are intended to produce.
That is the spirit of our Pursuit of Excellence.
We are not simply pursuing higher accountability ratings. We are working toward a district where every student has access to exceptional learning experiences, where every educator is supported in doing their best work, and where our systems, decisions, and investments are consistently aligned to improved student outcomes.
I am proud of the progress we have made, encouraged by the commitment I see throughout our schools, and clear-eyed about the work ahead. I also know that meaningful improvement takes collective responsibility, sustained attention, and a willingness to do things differently when necessary.
You can expect us to continue sharing our progress, our challenges, and the steps we are taking along the way. Transparency and accountability should not be reserved for the annual release of state assessment results; they should be part of how we lead, learn, and improve together.
Thank you for your continued trust, partnership, and commitment to the students of Covington Independent Public Schools. I believe in our students, I believe in our people, and I believe in what is possible when we pursue excellence together.
With gratitude and determination,
Cortnei Flucas
Superintendent
Covington Independent Public Schools