Back in the spring, and two weeks before major state analysis and testing began, Christian County Public Schools leadership did its best to literally navigate flood waters — and reach students in a time of both personal need and rigorous, end-of-year instruction.
Nearly seven months later, district officials are nothing, if not elated, to report strong news from the 2024-25 assessments — which went live late Tuesday night.
Crofton, Millbrooke, Indian Hills, Sinking Fork, Pembroke, Christian County Middle, Hopkinsville Middle, Christian County High and Hopkinsville High all maintained or achieved a “yellow” average or above average status, Freedom moved from “red” to “orange” status, and South Christian earned the district’s top rating of “green” at 71.5 out of 100 — with the entire CCPS profile capping sustained, or gained, expectations since Fall 2022.
Superintendent Chris Bentzel noted Freedom showed the most indexed improvement in the CCPS footprint — from 25.9 to 52.9, just below “yellow” rankings and its highest-ever score — and for the third-straight year, the district has no institutions in “comprehensive school improvement” zoning, and a reduced number of “target school improvement” facilities.
A snapshot of overall district success in the past year, Bentzel said, is Tigers varsity football flipping from 1-9 two years ago to 7-5 in 2025, while the Marching Colonels band secured a state championship.
More pointedly, Bentzel and others said Indian Hills showed a 15-point overall index improvement — despite moving buildings and increasing student population — while both middle schools showed “yellow” or better climate and safety standards, and both high schools earned an elite “blue” status for post-secondary readiness.
Furthermore, other key points of celebration for the district in this moment will involve:
+ A district-wide decrease in novice for elementary reading, science, social studies and writing
+ A increase for proficient/distinguished in middle school reading, science, social studies and writing
+ And four of six overall indicators being “green” or “blue” for combined high school data, just as the school embrace consolidation
Assistant Superintendent Kevin Crider offered a unique breakdown of specific Board of Education decisions and expenditures from over the last two-to-three years that, under the guidance of Bentzel and others, brought key categorical gains for CCPS.
This includes:
+ The returning of sixth grade to the middle schools
+ The redistricting with the close of MLK Elementary
+ The striving for equitable facilities across the district
+ A commitment to leadership coaching
+ A guarantee for teacher coaches
+ And the implementation of high-quality instructional resources in reading, math and science, which positioned incoming and veteran educators
Freedom Principal Monique Lewis said campus camaraderie certainly played a role over the last academic calendar.
And South Christian Principal Tiffany Gray agreed.
Two key observed drawbacks that have recently been voiced, however, are the stagnant district-wide math scores, particularly after elementary school, and the “teaching of X’s and O’s” at the high school level.
