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Below Average

#1118 of 1,284 schools in KY

South Heights Elementary School

Elementary School · Henderson County · Henderson, KY

A Henderson County elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 5th.

1199 Madison St, Henderson, KY 42420

  • Math 31% proficient (2025)
  • Reading 40% proficient (2025)
  • 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.7Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.4Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency31% (2025 KSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency40.3% (2025 KSA)
Overall Proficiency36% (2025 KSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)35% (model expectation from 2025 KSA)
vs. Expected+0.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile36th
Resources & Environment8.9Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.8:1
District spending per student$13,397
Chronic Absenteeism14.7%

Students at South Heights Elementary School score 36% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 35%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 KSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. KY average.

Math Proficiency31%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)
ELA Proficiency40%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 19 points since 2020, reaching 36% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
92%
ELA
86%
2010
Math
91%
ELA
90%
2011
Math
50%
ELA
50%
2012
Math
44%
ELA
40%
2013
Math
59%
ELA
64%
2014
Math
46%
ELA
58%
2015
Math
51%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
56%
ELA
60%
2017
Math
62%
ELA
59%
2018
Math
60%
ELA
44%
2019
Math
60%
ELA
44%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
22%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
22%
2022
Math
30%
ELA
37%
2025
Math
31%
ELA
40%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 35 test records from KY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

79.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where South Heights Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 26Car-Dependent
  • Bike 38Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,152/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Henderson), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$56,661

Median home value

$164,800

Median rent

$792/mo

College educated

19.8%

Homeownership

61%

Poverty rate

15.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 42420; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Jefferson Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.6K–50.4 mi426Compare →
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition7.2privatePK–81.1 mi306Compare →
East Heights Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.7K–52.2 mi350Compare →
Bend Gate Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.3K–53.5 mi426Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Henderson County

Schools in district
13
Rank in district
#12 of 13
District spending per student
$13,397NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

South Heights Elementary School is listed in Henderson County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About South Heights Elementary School

South Heights Elementary School is a public elementary school in Henderson, KY, part of Henderson County, serving approximately 415 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.2 out of 10 and ranks #1,118 of 1,284 schools in KY. State assessment records show 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about South Heights Elementary School

What grades does South Heights Elementary School serve?

South Heights Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend South Heights Elementary School?

South Heights Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 415 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at South Heights Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at South Heights Elementary School is 13.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does South Heights Elementary School rank in KY?

South Heights Elementary School ranks #1,118 of 1,284 schools in KY.

What is South Heights Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

South Heights Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at South Heights Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, South Heights Elementary School has 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is South Heights Elementary School a charter school?

No, South Heights Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is South Heights Elementary School a Title I school?

No, South Heights Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for South Heights Elementary School?

79.8% of students at South Heights Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
415
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Henderson County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
14.7%
Area population (ZIP 42420)
38,434
Area average commute
21.5 min
Area median age
40
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 KSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 KSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 KSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 KSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 42420; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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