The Kentucky Department of Education has released the Spring 2026 state assessment data from the Kentucky Summative Assessment. These assessments measure student proficiency and progress on Kentucky’s state content standards.
During the 2025-2026 school year, Kentucky public school students in grades 3-8, 10 and 11 took assessments called the Kentucky Summative Assessments and the Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessments in reading, mathematics, social studies, science, editing and mechanics, and on-demand writing.
Students take reading and mathematics assessments annually in grades 3 through 8, and in grade 10. Social studies, editing and mechanics, and on-demand writing were assessed in grades 5, 8 and 11. Science was assessed in grades 4, 7 and 11. The 2025-2026 administration was the final year for the editing and mechanics and on-demand writing assessments.
The state color codes performance levels for each district ranking as follows from highest to lowest as blue, green, yellow, orange and red.
Union County Public Schools ranked orange at the elementary, middle school and high school levels for 2025-26 school year. Orange is considered low on the charts.
In reading and mathematics, Union County elementary, middle school and high school levels all were rated orange. In science, social studies and combined writing, the elementary level achieved orange while the middle and high school levels rated yellow.
On the quality of school climate and safety survey, the elementary and high school levels were rated green while the middle school was rated yellow.
Union County High School rated green for its graduation rate – which is the second highest level and rated high. The high school rated orange on postsecondary readiness, which is second from the bottom level.
Lawmakers approved House Bill 257 during the 2026 legislative session, which establishes changes to Kentucky’s assessment and accountability system. The changes will take effect beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and do not affect the assessment and accountability results included in this year’s public release of data. Readers should use caution when comparing future results with the fall 2026 data release because the calculations and indicators will change.
Kentucky is in the final year of the current assessment and accountability system, which was established following revisions made to KRS 158.6455 by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2020. The accountability system features Status and Change as ways to evaluate state indicators; Status being the current-year performance and Change representing year-to-year progress.
Fewer schools received green and blue overall accountability ratings, mainly due to much lower Change scores, while Status scores were similar. This reflects less improvement from the previous year, so although current performance remained relatively similar to the previous year, overall ratings were lower.
You can review the full report card at reportcard.kyschools.us/schools.