LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Fayette County Public Schools is celebrating a year of academic gains after newly released state accountability data showed students outperforming state averages, reaching a record graduation rate and eliminating state-designated improvement labels across the district for the first time under Kentucky's current accountability system.
The Kentucky Department of Education released its 2025-26 assessment and accountability data Thursday, showing progress across the commonwealth in areas including reading achievement, graduation rates and postsecondary readiness. In Fayette County, district leaders say the results reflect years of strategic planning and investment in student achievement.
Residents can review school and district accountability results through the Kentucky School Report Card Dashboard at https://reportcard.kyschools.us/.
"This is very strong data and I want our community to feel a sense of pride in how our students are performing," Interim Superintendent Bill Bradford said in a statement. "The one variable that has been constant is our schools. Our schools are doing great things, and our schools produced these results."
Among the highlights, FCPS reported that 81% of schools received one of Kentucky's three highest accountability ratings, while no school in the district was identified for Targeted Support and Improvement. District leaders said it marks the first time since Kentucky's current accountability system began in 2018 that Fayette County has not had a school flagged in that category.
For the second time in three years, the district also had no schools designated for Comprehensive Support and Improvement.
Fayette County Board of Education Chair Tyler Murphy said the results represent the work happening in classrooms across the district's 42,000-student system.
"As a teacher and an educator myself, I know that these results reflect real students in real classrooms, and they're indicative of the momentum that we see in our district," Murphy told LEX News.
The district also recorded its highest-ever four-year graduation rate. According to the data, 93.9% of students graduated in 2026, surpassing the previous record set in 2025 when the graduation rate reached 92%.
Murphy called the increase a reflection of long-term planning and sustained focus on student outcomes.
"These results don't happen by accident," Murphy said. "They happen with an intentional, dogged determination and a focus on student success."
District officials also highlighted significant growth in postsecondary readiness, which rose from 69.4% in 2022 to 86.4% in 2026. Fayette County leaders said the increase reflects expanded opportunities for students through dual-credit courses, career academies and work-based learning programs.
"This is really a testament to the opportunities and access that we are providing to our students at the secondary level," Bradford said.
The accountability report also showed continued improvement among student groups that historically have faced achievement gaps. FCPS officials said all schools met state benchmarks for Black and economically disadvantaged students for a third consecutive year. Schools also met benchmarks for Hispanic students for the second time in the last three years.
The state accountability system evaluates schools not only on overall student performance but also on how well individual demographic groups are progressing. Collectively, Fayette County schools were evaluated on 337 demographic groups. According to district data, 96% of those groups met federal performance thresholds in 2026, compared to significantly lower numbers just four years ago.
Murphy noted that Fayette County educates roughly 6.5% of Kentucky's public school students but is home to about one-third of the state's highest-achieving students.
"For the first time ever, we do not have a single school that has been labeled as comprehensive support and improvement or targeted support and improvement," Murphy said. "That is a huge milestone for our district."
The district's school ratings also showed improvement across multiple categories. Fourteen schools earned Kentucky's highest "blue" rating, while another 14 received "green" ratings. Eighteen schools were rated "yellow," 10 received "orange" ratings and one school received a "red" rating.
Officials said every school that received the state's lowest rating in 2025 improved during the 2025-26 school year. In addition, school climate and safety ratings were "green" at the elementary, middle and high school levels for the first time.
The strong academic results come as the district continues to address a separate conversation surrounding its finances. Murphy said he hopes the latest accountability numbers remind the community of the district's educational progress.
"I hope the community recognizes the return on the investment in our public schools," Murphy said. "Our public schools are the core and the foundation of our community. They're the core and the foundation of our economy."
Murphy and Bradford both credited current educators, school leaders and former Superintendent Demetrus Liggins for helping establish and execute the district's long-range strategic plan. Liggins retired earlier this year after leading the district for five years.
Bradford, who previously served as the district's chief academic officer before being named interim superintendent, said the work is far from finished despite this year's accomplishments.
"Today's data is now our new floor. It's not our new ceiling," Bradford said. "This becomes our next body of work as we move forward with the academic school year ahead of us."
The statewide accountability release marks the final year under Kentucky's current assessment and accountability model before changes approved during the 2026 legislative session take effect next school year.
Parents and community members can view results for individual schools and districts through the state's online dashboard at https://reportcard.kyschools.us/.
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