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Excellent

#183 of 1,284 schools in KY

Top 14% in state

Southern Elementary School

Elementary School · Pulaski County · Somerset, KY

A Pulaski County elementary school where students score 18 points above what's typical for similar communities.

198 Enterprise Drive, Somerset, KY 42501

  • Math 52% proficient (2025)
  • Reading 57% proficient (2025)
  • 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.8Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.79 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.8Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency52.3% (2025 KSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency56.7% (2025 KSA)
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 KSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)37% (model expectation from 2025 KSA)
vs. Expected+17.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile81th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.5:1
District spending per student$12,724
Chronic Absenteeism25.4%

Students at Southern Elementary School score 54% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 37%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 KSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. KY average.

Math Proficiency52%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)
ELA Proficiency57%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 6 points since 2020, reaching 55% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
75%
ELA
80%
2010
Math
73%
ELA
76%
2011
Math
54%
ELA
58%
2012
Math
53%
ELA
53%
2013
Math
49%
ELA
66%
2014
Math
58%
ELA
60%
2015
Math
65%
ELA
63%
2016
Math
69%
ELA
70%
2017
Math
66%
ELA
74%
2018
Math
72%
ELA
70%
2019
Math
72%
ELA
70%
2020*
Math
46%
ELA
51%
2021*
Math
46%
ELA
51%
2022
Math
53%
ELA
52%
2025
Math
52%
ELA
57%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 63% (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 36 test records from KY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

76.6%

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 Southern 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 42Car-Dependent
  • Bike 38Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated1,350/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Somerset), 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

$49,449

Median home value

$131,400

Median rent

$808/mo

College educated

17%

Homeownership

63%

Poverty rate

21.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 42501; 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
Somerset Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition7.3privatePK–121.9 mi340Compare →
Oak Hill Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified9.2K–52.7 mi538Compare →
Burnside Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.5PK–53.2 mi432Compare →
Memorial Education CenterEnrollment path unverified5.1PK–K3.4 mi262Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Pulaski County

Schools in district
14
Rank in district
#5 of 14
District spending per student
$12,724NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Southern Elementary School is listed in Pulaski County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Southern Elementary School

Southern Elementary School is a public elementary school in Somerset, KY, part of Pulaski County, serving approximately 646 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #183 of 1,284 schools in KY. State assessment records show 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Southern Elementary School

What grades does Southern Elementary School serve?

Southern Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Southern Elementary School?

Southern Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 646 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Southern Elementary School is 13.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Southern Elementary School rank in KY?

Southern Elementary School ranks #183 of 1,284 schools in KY.

What is Southern Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Southern Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 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 Southern Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Southern Elementary School has 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Southern Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Southern Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

76.6% of students at Southern 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
646
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
48
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Pulaski County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.4%
Area population (ZIP 42501)
17,441
Area average commute
23.2 min
Area median age
41
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 42501; 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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