Paris Independent

Paris Independent serves students in Paris, Kentucky, across three schools covering kindergarten through grade 12: Paris Elementary School (346 students), Paris Middle School (180), and Paris High School (267). In 2025–2026, every school’s reported test results were below the state result for the same grade and subject. Across reported results, the average gap was about 19 percentage points. The most important finding is that this shared shortfall is much deeper in some areas than others, especially in Middle’s math and reading.

Paris High School was closest to state results in several comparisons: grade 10 math was 8 points below the state, and grade 10 reading was 10 points below. Paris Middle School had the largest average gaps in math and reading, at 25 and 26 points below state results. It was relatively closer in grade 8 writing and social studies, which were 10 and 14 points below. Paris Elementary School averaged 12 points below the state in its reported math grades and 19 points below in reading; grade 4 reading was 13 points below. Because schools test different grades, these comparisons show distance from matching state results, not a direct ranking of schools.

Recent changes vary by school: Elementary’s average across comparable results improved by about 4 points, High’s by about 2, while Middle’s scores fell by 7 points on average and its relative gap widened by about 6 points. Across all 21 matched results, the area’s average gap was essentially unchanged. SchoolDigger’s statewide percentile was 9 for Elementary, 4 for Middle, and 15 for High in 2025–2026; High rose from 9 the year before, while Middle fell from 10 and Elementary stayed at 9. Ratios were similar—18.2 students per teacher at Elementary, 17.1 at Middle, and 17.5 at High. For 2024–2025, free/reduced lunch eligible shares were 74% at Elementary, 76% at Middle, and 79% at High. High also has an attendance concern: chronic absenteeism was 39%, compared with 24% statewide.