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Paces Creek Elementary

Q: Is Paces Creek Elementary a good school?

Paces Creek Elementary ranks 181 st of 685 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

181^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 685 Kentucky Elementary Schools

Better than 74% of Kentucky elementary schools

Summary

Paces Creek Elementary is a public elementary school in Manchester, Kentucky, serving 267 students in grades K-6. The school is part of the Clay County School District, which is ranked 28 out of 157 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Paces Creek Elementary has consistently performed well, particularly with its special education and low-socioeconomic status (SES) student populations. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school ranked 14th out of 279 Kentucky elementary schools for special education and 51st out of 665 for low-SES students, both with 5-star ratings. Academically, Paces Creek's 3rd-grade students achieved 60% proficiency in mathematics and 71% proficiency in reading, outperforming the state and district averages. However, the school has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 25% to 44.9% over the past few years, which could be a contributing factor to its performance.

When compared to nearby schools in the Clay County district, Paces Creek Elementary generally performs on par or better in terms of academic proficiency. Schools like Burning Springs Elementary and Manchester Elementary have consistently outperformed Paces Creek in recent years. Additionally, Paces Creek has seen a steady increase in its per-student spending, from $12,190 in 2020-2021 to $17,022 in 2023-2024, which may have contributed to its improved performance in certain areas.

273

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,022

Per pupil spending ?

86.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1983 S Hwy 421
Manchester, KY 40962

(606) 598-6333

District: Clay County

Students who attend Paces Creek Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Clay County Middle School
High:	Clay County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.8%

Two or more races:

2.6%

Hispanic:

2.2%

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Compare Paces Creek Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 20th percentile in 2014 → 74th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Kentucky average (56% vs 45% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 54 percentile points since 2014

✓Above the Kentucky median (74th percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (45% vs 25% Kentucky)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school56%

District avg65%

Kentucky avg45%

181^st of 685

Kentucky public elementary schools ?

Top 26%▲ up 53 pts since 2015

From bottom 20% (2015) to top 26% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 7Elementary Schools in the Clay County

28^th of 157Clay County among Kentucky districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	69.0	181 of 685	73.6%	★★★★☆
2024	75.4	119 of 685	82.6%	★★★★☆
2023	60.4	245 of 687	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.6	314 of 684	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.3	228 of 700	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.9	344 of 691	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	31.7	527 of 694	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	39.1	455 of 690	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	27.9	555 of 698	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	28.2	561 of 705	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	18.3	654 of 719	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	13.6	677 of 713	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	65.9	213 of 688	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2010	23.8	577 of 683	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	11.9	603 of 658	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	18.9	569 of 651	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	89.8	38 of 638	94.0%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2022	65.1	51 of 206	75.2%	★★★★☆
2018	66.5	100 of 445	77.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	66.4	178 of 648	72.5%	★★★★☆
2024	68.2	161 of 644	75.0%	★★★★☆
2023	59.6	223 of 639	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.5	365 of 641	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	67.6	173 of 671	74.2%	★★★★☆
2018	51.9	322 of 663	51.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	75.1	106 of 672	84.2%	★★★★☆
2024	84.1	51 of 665	92.3%	★★★★★
2023	66.5	149 of 670	77.8%	★★★★☆
2022	62.4	170 of 667	74.5%	★★★★☆
2019	56.4	272 of 664	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.9	242 of 631	61.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	68.5	157 of 653	76.0%	★★★★☆
2024	77.0	96 of 652	85.3%	★★★★☆
2023	60.1	222 of 652	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.5	273 of 657	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.1	254 of 676	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.0	359 of 665	46.0%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2024	93.2	14 of 279	95.0%	★★★★★
2023	95.3	8 of 257	96.9%	★★★★★
2019	49.1	350 of 661	47.0%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	67.1	172 of 659	73.9%	★★★★☆
2024	69.8	156 of 659	76.3%	★★★★☆
2023	53.9	279 of 658	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.0	355 of 656	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	75.1	109 of 592	81.6%	★★★★☆
2018	46.9	322 of 593	45.7%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2024)95th percentile+12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)84th percentile+11 vs school

Male (2025)76th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)75th percentile+21 vs school

White (2025)74th percentile~ school

Female (2025)73rd percentile~ school

By subject vs Kentucky (2024-2025) ?

Social Studies65%+27 vs state

Writing58%+20 vs state

Reading58%+8 vs state

Mathematics55%+12 vs state

Editing and Mechanics49%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Paces Creek Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				KSA Mathematics (2025)				KSA Reading (2025)				KSA Science (2025)	KSA Writing (2025)	KSA Social Studies (2025)	KSA Editing and Mechanics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	KSA Mathematics 3rd Grade	KSA Mathematics 4th Grade	KSA Mathematics 5th Grade	KSA Mathematics 6th Grade	KSA Reading 3rd Grade	KSA Reading 4th Grade	KSA Reading 5th Grade	KSA Reading 6th Grade	KSA Science 4th Grade	KSA Writing 5th Grade	KSA Social Studies 5th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Paces Creek Elementary	Public	K-6	1983 S Hwy 421	Manchester	40962	Clay County	Clay County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 598-6333	273	20	13.4	86.8%	256 (93.8%)	2 (0.7%)	6 (2.2%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	69	181^st of 685 public elementary schools	73.6%		75.4	119^th of 685 public elementary schools	82.6%	62	60.0	49.0	39.0	71.0	71.0	49.0	64.0	46.0		58.0	65.0	49.0	$17,022	$2,641	$362	$3,003	$9,333	$2,410	$11,741
Manchester Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1908 N Hwy 421	Manchester	40962	Clay County	Clay County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 598-3444	409	29	14.0	71.9%	388 (94.9%)	12 (2.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.2%)	92.2	24^th of 685 public elementary schools	96.5%		88.6	40^th of 685 public elementary schools	94.2%	16	65.0	84.0	55.0	69.0	71.0	77.0	88.0	76.0	60.0	81.0	52.0		$16,317	$2,196	$268	$2,464	$9,087	$2,094	$11,180
Hacker Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	84 Hooker Rd	Manchester	40962	Clay County	Clay County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 598-3338	244	20	12.0	71.3%	240 (98.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	70.5	167^th of 685 public elementary schools	75.6%		69.4	172^nd of 685 public elementary schools	74.9%	5	38.0	50.0	41.0	54.0	62.0	62.0	66.0	79.0	26.0	79.0	52.0	76.0	$15,631	$2,925	$188	$3,114	$8,454	$2,160	$10,613
Goose Rock Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	364 Hwy 1524	Manchester	40962	Clay County	Clay County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 598-3740	231	20	11.4	83.5%	219 (94.8%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (3.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	75.7	133^rd of 685 public elementary schools	80.6%		51.5	329^th of 685 public elementary schools	52.0%	196	56.0	61.0	41.0	59.0	62.0	61.0	59.0	82.0	48.0	66.0	53.0	44.0	$19,389	$3,163	$360	$3,521	$11,612	$2,173	$13,786
Burning Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	9847 N Hwy 421	Manchester	40962	Clay County	Clay County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 598-3138	297	21	13.9	80.1%	288 (97.0%)	2 (0.7%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	97.5	2^nd of 685 public elementary schools	99.7%		96.5	4^th of 685 public elementary schools	99.4%	2		79.0	76.0	79.0		85.0	85.0		64.0	90.0	80.0	71.0	$15,972	$2,257	$228	$2,484	$9,108	$2,311	$11,419
Big Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	523 N Hwy 66	Oneida	40972	Clay County	Clay County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 598-2812	136	13	10.6	81.6%	133 (97.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	49.9	336^th of 685 public elementary schools	50.9%		63.4	224^th of 685 public elementary schools	67.3%	112		50.0	38.0	72.0	57.0	57.0	38.0			15.0		38.0	$23,096	$4,238	$212	$4,449	$13,388	$2,933	$16,322
Oneida Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	435 Newfound Rd	Oneida	40972	Clay County	Clay County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 598-2168	110	9	12.7	77.3%	110 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61.9	235^th of 685 public elementary schools	65.7%		65	214^th of 685 public elementary schools	68.8%	21	70.0			82.0	70.0	58.0				30.0	30.0	30.0	$68,010	$3,807	$233	$4,040	$10,510	$3,366	$13,876
Girdler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5452 N Ky 11	Girdler	40943	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 645-2838	267	21	12.9	86.9%	259 (97.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	44.3	388^th of 685 public elementary schools	43.4%		43.9	378^th of 685 public elementary schools	44.8%	10	45.0	43.0	23.0		49.0	63.0	35.0				35.0	48.0	$16,138	$2,829	$694	$3,522	$10,140	$2,476	$12,616
Bush Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1832 E Laurel Rd	London	40741	Laurel County	Laurel County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 862-4618	511	30	17.0	61.1%	487 (95.3%)	2 (0.4%)	8 (1.6%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.0%)	95.6	8^th of 685 public elementary schools	98.8%		93.1	17^th of 685 public elementary schools	97.5%	9	74.0	81.0	68.0		78.0	74.0			58.0		68.0		$22,218	$1,480	$999	$2,479	$16,464	$3,102	$19,565
Camp Ground Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6800 Barbourville Rd	London	40744	Laurel County	Laurel County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 862-4625	327	20	16.3	68.2%	314 (96.0%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.8%)	79.9	105^th of 685 public elementary schools	84.7%		79.1	99^th of 685 public elementary schools	85.5%	6	62.0	65.0	69.0		63.0	57.0	55.0		49.0		50.0		$28,507	$1,530	$1,006	$2,536	$16,874	$3,164	$20,037

Frequently Asked Questions about Paces Creek Elementary

What schools do graduates of Paces Creek Elementary attend?

Students who attend Paces Creek Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Clay County Middle School
High : Clay County High School

Is Paces Creek Elementary a good school?

Paces Creek Elementary ranks 181^st of 685 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Paces Creek Elementary?

Students at Paces Creek Elementary are 94% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

How many students attend Paces Creek Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 273 students attended Paces Creek Elementary.

What district is Paces Creek Elementary in?

Clay County

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Kentucky Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.