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Cardinal Valley Elementary School

Q: Is Cardinal Valley Elementary School a good school?

Cardinal Valley Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.7% of Kentucky elementary schools.

Q: How many students attend Cardinal Valley Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 643 students attended Cardinal Valley Elementary School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Cardinal Valley Elementary School?

Students at Cardinal Valley Elementary School are 77% Hispanic, 13% African American, 7% White, 3% Two or more races.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

653^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 685 Kentucky Elementary Schools

Better than 5% of Kentucky elementary schools

Summary

Cardinal Valley Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lexington, Kentucky, serving 615 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Fayette County School District, which is ranked 74 out of 157 districts in the state.

Despite being part of the Fayette County district, Cardinal Valley Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Kentucky elementary schools over the past decade, with a 0 or 1 out of 5 star rating from SchoolDigger. The school significantly underperforms compared to the district and state averages in academic proficiency, with only 20-26% of students proficient in reading and math, compared to 47-53% for Fayette County and 43-50% for Kentucky. Cardinal Valley also has very high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 22.6% to 28%, much higher than the state average. Additionally, 69-75% of Cardinal Valley students come from low-income families, significantly higher than nearby high-performing schools like Clays Mill Elementary, Meadowthorpe Elementary, and Rosa Parks Elementary.

While Cardinal Valley Elementary's performance has been poor, the data indicates there is room for improvement. The school's low rankings and proficiency rates suggest that targeted interventions and support could potentially help the school make significant gains in serving its high-needs student population. Addressing the challenges faced by Cardinal Valley Elementary, such as teacher quality, resource allocation, and school climate, will likely require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve the educational outcomes for its students.

643

Students ?

12.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,890

Per pupil spending ?

65.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

218 Mandalay Rd
Lexington, KY 40504-1333

(859) 381-3340

District: Fayette County

Students who attend Cardinal Valley Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Leestown Middle School
High:	Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

77.3%

African American:

13.2%

White:

6.5%

See top rated Kentucky elementary schools

Compare Cardinal Valley Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 4th percentile in 2014 → 5th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Kentucky average (21% vs 44% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (5th percentile)

!Reading scores 28 pts below the Kentucky average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school21%

District avg48%

Kentucky avg44%

653^rd of 685

Kentucky public elementary schools ?

Bottom 5%▲ up 4 pts since 2015

From bottom 1% (2015) to bottom 5% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

38^th of 39Elementary Schools in the Fayette County

74^th of 157Fayette 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	8.3	653 of 685	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.3	648 of 685	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.5	665 of 687	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	10.0	641 of 684	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.8	614 of 700	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	15.0	629 of 691	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	8.0	669 of 694	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	4.8	680 of 690	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	4.8	691 of 698	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	8.5	680 of 705	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	8.7	698 of 719	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	9.4	695 of 713	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	33.9	506 of 688	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	49.8	370 of 683	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	20.6	560 of 658	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	4.5	637 of 651	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	15.1	587 of 638	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2018	32.0	140 of 184	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2019	13.4	458 of 474	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.7	407 of 445	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	11.4	69 of 69	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.7	63 of 64	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	11.2	64 of 65	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.2	40 of 40	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	45.4	50 of 96	47.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.0	39 of 81	51.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	10.9	607 of 648	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.0	589 of 644	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.6	617 of 639	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.1	625 of 641	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	20.4	592 of 671	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	15.3	610 of 663	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	15.0	161 of 168	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.6	131 of 135	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.4	117 of 120	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	17.0	107 of 114	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	39.8	97 of 152	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.2	110 of 153	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	14.7	618 of 672	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.8	616 of 665	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.1	649 of 670	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	17.7	597 of 667	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.5	547 of 664	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	15.1	591 of 631	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	7.5	628 of 653	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.4	637 of 652	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.0	645 of 652	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	11.1	613 of 657	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.5	597 of 676	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.6	602 of 665	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2019	21.8	554 of 661	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2022	4.6	651 of 656	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	16.3	548 of 593	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

African American (2018)24th percentile+15 vs school

Special Education (2019)16th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)8th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)6th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)4th percentile~ school

Male (2025)4th percentile~ school

Disabled (2019)3rd percentile-9 vs school

White (2022)1st percentile-6 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)<1st percentile-5 vs school

By subject vs Kentucky (2024-2025) ?

Writing24%-14 vs state

Editing and Mechanics22%-25 vs state

Mathematics22%-22 vs state

Reading21%-28 vs state

Social Studies19%-19 vs state

Science12%-25 vs state

★

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Schools Near Cardinal Valley Elementary School

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 Reading 3rd Grade	KSA Reading 4th Grade	KSA Reading 5th 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
Cardinal Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	218 Mandalay Rd	Lexington	40504	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3340	643	53	12.1	65.5%	42 (6.5%)	85 (13.2%)	497 (77.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.6%)	8.3	653^rd of 685 public elementary schools	4.7%		8.3	648^th of 685 public elementary schools	5.4%	5	22.0	17.0	26.0	20.0	22.0	22.0	12.0	24.0	19.0	22.0	$23,890	$878	$1,037	$1,915	$15,999	$2,979	$18,979
James Lane Allen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1901 Appomattox Rd	Lexington	40504	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3456	429	39	11.1	66.7%	108 (25.2%)	72 (16.8%)	222 (51.7%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.6%)	21.8	562^nd of 685 public elementary schools	18.0%		21.6	562^nd of 685 public elementary schools	18.0%		27.0	26.0	27.0	25.0	38.0	37.0	29.0	35.0	29.0	37.0	$26,542	$1,004	$1,022	$2,026	$18,512	$3,036	$21,548
Meadowthorpe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1710 N. Forbes Rd	Lexington	40511	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3521	517	41	12.7	48.0%	212 (41.0%)	128 (24.8%)	80 (15.5%)	54 (10.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (8.1%)	86.5	61^st of 685 public elementary schools	91.1%		86	56^th of 685 public elementary schools	91.8%	5	55.0	79.0	64.0	55.0	83.0	66.0	65.0	69.0	57.0	58.0	$24,047	$663	$1,093	$1,756	$16,543	$2,948	$19,490
Picadome Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1642 Harrodsburg Rd	Lexington	40504	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3563	434	37	11.7	58.5%	202 (46.5%)	129 (29.7%)	54 (12.4%)	12 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.3%)	34.1	469^th of 685 public elementary schools	31.5%		34	463^rd of 685 public elementary schools	32.4%	6	34.0	43.0	28.0	51.0	54.0	32.0	35.0	37.0	22.0	29.0	$24,484	$882	$979	$1,861	$16,552	$3,083	$19,636
Garden Springs Elementary School	Public	K-5	2151 Garden Springs Dr	Lexington	40504	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3388	418	35	11.9	40.7%	252 (60.3%)	40 (9.6%)	83 (19.9%)	11 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.7%)	51.2	325^th of 685 public elementary schools	52.6%		65.2	213^th of 685 public elementary schools	68.9%	112	55.0	51.0	40.0	56.0	49.0	49.0	32.0	31.0	40.0	45.0	$26,133	$979	$975	$1,954	$18,210	$3,038	$21,248
Harrison Elementary School	Public	K-5	161 Bruce St	Lexington	40507	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3418	207	25	8.1	87.4%	33 (15.9%)	111 (53.6%)	41 (19.8%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (9.7%)	14.4	614^th of 685 public elementary schools	10.4%					(n/a)				18.0	20.0	37.0		30.0			$36,751	$1,358	$1,359	$2,717	$24,444	$3,517	$27,961
Rosa Parks Elementary School	Public	K-5	1251 Beaumont Centre Lane	Lexington	40513	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3132	681	45	15.2	17.3%	425 (62.4%)	27 (4.0%)	46 (6.8%)	156 (22.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.8%)	92.4	21^st of 685 public elementary schools	96.9%		93.7	14^th of 685 public elementary schools	98.0%	7	77.0	63.0	78.0	85.0	73.0	70.0	57.0	62.0	63.0	69.0	$22,137	$1,076	$954	$2,030	$14,465	$2,841	$17,307
Clays Mill Elementary School	Public	K-5	2319 Clays Mill Rd	Lexington	40503	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3355	527	39	13.5	27.1%	407 (77.2%)	21 (4.0%)	39 (7.4%)	15 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (8.3%)	96.1	7^th of 685 public elementary schools	99.0%		93.2	15^th of 685 public elementary schools	97.8%	8	71.0	69.0	81.0	63.0	80.0	91.0	63.0	80.0	83.0	89.0	$24,466	$1,099	$990	$2,088	$16,576	$2,871	$19,447
Booker T Washington Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	707 Howard Street	Lexington	40508	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3263	377	28	13.5	81.7%	27 (7.2%)	188 (49.9%)	133 (35.3%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.6%)	14.6	610^th of 685 public elementary schools	10.9%		9.8	638^th of 685 public elementary schools	6.9%	28	21.0		33.0	28.0	16.0	30.0		31.0	28.0	9.0	$26,311	$1,022	$1,087	$2,109	$17,812	$3,081	$20,893
Maxwell Spanish Immersion Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	301 Woodland Ave	Lexington	40508	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	Yes	No	No	(859) 381-3516	567	37	15.4	28.7%	298 (52.6%)	80 (14.1%)	122 (21.5%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (10.4%)	91.2	35^th of 685 public elementary schools	94.9%		88.5	42^nd of 685 public elementary schools	93.9%	7	59.0	68.0	67.0	69.0	71.0	74.0	52.0	73.0	67.0	74.0	$21,929	$582	$949	$1,532	$14,838	$2,759	$17,597

Frequently Asked Questions about Cardinal Valley Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Cardinal Valley Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Cardinal Valley Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Leestown Middle School
High : Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

What is the racial makeup of Cardinal Valley Elementary School?

Students at Cardinal Valley Elementary School are 77% Hispanic, 13% African American, 7% White, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend Cardinal Valley Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 643 students attended Cardinal Valley Elementary School.

What district is Cardinal Valley Elementary School in?

Fayette County

Is Cardinal Valley Elementary School a good school?

Cardinal Valley Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.7% of Kentucky elementary schools.

Rate Cardinal Valley Elementary School!

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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.