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Brenda Cowan Elementary

Q: Is Brenda Cowan Elementary a good school?

Brenda Cowan Elementary ranks 232 nd of 684 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

232^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 684 Kentucky Elementary Schools

Better than 66% of Kentucky elementary schools

Summary

Brenda Cowan Elementary is a Fayette County public school in Lexington serving 586 students in prekindergarten through fifth grade. SchoolDigger ranks it 232nd of 684 Kentucky elementary schools, at the 66th percentile with three stars; among the ten schools compared in the area, it ranks sixth. The most important concern is fifth-grade writing: proficiency fell to 12% in 2025–26, the lowest result among these ten schools and far below the nearby-school average of 39%.

The school’s results vary sharply by subject. Fourth-grade science is a standout, with 50% proficiency—above the Fayette County average of 42%, the state average of 40%, and the nearby-school average of 42%. Math and reading are also above the nearby averages: 54% versus 49% in math and 59% versus 56% in reading. But neither is a local high, and writing is well below the district average of 39%, state average of 35%, and nearby average of 39%. The contrast between strong science and very weak writing means the school’s overall results do not tell the whole story.

Over time, science proficiency rose from 30% in 2023–24 to 50% in 2025–26, while writing dropped from 66% in 2022–23 to 12%; social studies also declined, from 55% to 43%. SchoolDigger’s overall percentile has rebounded from 55 last year but remains below its 88th-percentile peak in 2021–22. Context figures place the school near the middle of its nearby group: its 2024–25 student-teacher ratio was 13.5, and 45% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible that year. SchoolDigger’s statewide group rankings also show notably higher standings for English Language Learner Students, at the 85th percentile, and Asian Students, at the 90th percentile; the latter rose from the 38th percentile the prior year. These are rankings of how the school serves each group compared with schools statewide.

586

Students ?

13.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

44.9%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

4801 Athens-Boonesboro Road
Lexington, KY 40509

(859) 381-4000

District: Fayette County

Students who attend Brenda Cowan Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Edythe Jones Hayes Middle School
High:	Henry Clay High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

41.3%

African American:

20.5%

Asian:

16.4%

See top rated Kentucky elementary schools

Compare Brenda Cowan Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 79th percentile in 2021 → 66th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Kentucky median (66th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 13 percentile points since 2021

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Writing scores 23 pts below the Kentucky average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school49%

District avg49%

Kentucky avg44%

232^nd of 684

Kentucky public elementary schools ?

Top 34%▼ down 13 pts since 2021

From top 21% (2021) to top 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

16^th of 39Elementary Schools in the Fayette County

65^th of 158Fayette 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
2026	61.9	232 of 684	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.9	305 of 685	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.3	211 of 685	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	75.2	114 of 687	83.4%	★★★★☆
2022	80.1	84 of 684	87.7%	★★★★☆
2021	68.7	108 of 517	79.1%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	57.3	51 of 150	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.9	59 of 142	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	79.3	13 of 140	90.7%	★★★★★
2023	76.8	12 of 129	90.7%	★★★★★
2022	79.9	11 of 118	90.7%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	82.2	3 of 29	89.7%	★★★★★
2025	49.0	16 of 26	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.2	14 of 25	44.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.9	8 of 23	65.2%	★★★★☆
2022	74.2	5 of 19	73.7%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	77.7	10 of 65	84.6%	★★★★☆
2025	60.2	23 of 69	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.3	17 of 64	73.4%	★★★★☆
2023	78.0	8 of 65	87.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	59.4	230 of 657	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.9	310 of 648	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.8	323 of 644	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.1	110 of 639	82.8%	★★★★☆
2022	72.9	111 of 641	82.7%	★★★★☆
2021	59.1	107 of 312	65.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	67.3	44 of 168	73.8%	★★★★☆
2025	81.0	17 of 168	89.9%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	38.0	424 of 674	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	30.2	503 of 672	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	49.5	311 of 665	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.1	172 of 670	74.3%	★★★★☆
2022	69.5	114 of 667	82.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	65.4	186 of 651	71.4%	★★★★☆
2025	52.7	298 of 653	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	77.7	91 of 652	86.0%	★★★★☆
2023	69.2	142 of 652	78.2%	★★★★☆
2022	77.0	84 of 657	87.2%	★★★★☆
2021	75.1	49 of 325	84.9%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2023	35.4	29 of 43	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	36.9	196 of 314	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.9	181 of 257	29.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	71.5	148 of 650	77.2%	★★★★☆
2025	57.6	255 of 659	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.0	141 of 659	78.6%	★★★★☆
2023	80.8	83 of 658	87.4%	★★★★☆
2022	76.1	103 of 656	84.3%	★★★★☆
2021	84.1	31 of 337	90.8%	★★★★★

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)

Asian (2026)90th percentile+24 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)85th percentile+19 vs school

White (2026)77th percentile+11 vs school

Hispanic (2026)74th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2026)71st percentile+5 vs school

African American (2026)66th percentile~ school

Female (2026)65th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)38th percentile-29 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)37th percentile-29 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)33rd percentile-51 vs school

By subject vs Kentucky (2025-2026) ?

Reading59%+9 vs state

Mathematics54%+11 vs state

Science50%+10 vs state

Editing and Mechanics46%~ state avg

Social Studies43%+5 vs state

Writing12%-23 vs state

★

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Schools Near Brenda Cowan Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				KSA Mathematics (2026)			KSA Reading (2026)			KSA Science (2026)	KSA Writing (2026)	KSA Social Studies (2026)	KSA Editing and Mechanics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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	Total
Brenda Cowan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4801 Athens-Boonesboro Road	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-4000	586	43	13.5	44.9%	242 (41.3%)	120 (20.5%)	71 (12.1%)	96 (16.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (9.6%)	61.9	232^nd of 684 public elementary schools	66.1%		53.9	305^th of 685 public elementary schools	55.5%	73	50.0	52.0	59.0	61.0	56.0	59.0	50.0	12.0	43.0	46.0
Athens-Chilesburg Elementary	Public	K-5	930 Jouett Creek Dr	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-4955	620	41	15.1	21.3%	412 (66.5%)	39 (6.3%)	34 (5.5%)	102 (16.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.3%)	92.1	28^th of 684 public elementary schools	95.9%		94.2	16^th of 685 public elementary schools	97.7%	12	75.0	69.0	74.0	77.0	72.0	76.0	63.0	45.0	67.0	76.0
Garrett Morgan Elementary	Public	K-5	1150 Passage Mound Way	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-3165	746	51	14.6	32.4%	429 (57.5%)	126 (16.9%)	58 (7.8%)	75 (10.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (7.6%)	82.1	87^th of 684 public elementary schools	87.3%		79.9	104^th of 685 public elementary schools	84.8%	17	59.0	69.0	52.0	69.0	71.0	64.0	59.0	53.0	49.0	57.0
Ridge Hospital Alternative Elementary	Public	K-5	3050 Rio Dosa Dr	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 269-2325	1	5	.2	—	1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Squires Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3337 Squire Oak Dr.	Lexington	40515	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3002	447	34	13.1	55.7%	209 (46.8%)	84 (18.8%)	99 (22.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	52 (11.6%)	43.2	399^th of 684 public elementary schools	41.7%		56.7	284^th of 685 public elementary schools	58.5%	115	60.0	43.0	46.0	59.0	52.0	39.0	41.0	23.0	13.0	27.0
Liberty Elementary	Public	K-5	2585 Liberty Rd	Lexington	40509	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	No	(859) 381-4979	721	51	14.2	42.0%	339 (47.0%)	144 (20.0%)	120 (16.6%)	55 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (8.6%)	79.3	109^th of 684 public elementary schools	84.1%		78	121^st of 685 public elementary schools	82.3%	12	56.0	52.0	63.0	60.0	56.0	75.0	49.0	45.0	65.0	72.0
Tates Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1113 Centre Pkwy	Lexington	40517	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3606	626	49	12.6	78.1%	182 (29.1%)	245 (39.1%)	110 (17.6%)	16 (2.6%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	69 (11.0%)	39.4	427^th of 684 public elementary schools	37.6%		35.6	459^th of 685 public elementary schools	33.0%	32	34.0	35.0	38.0	45.0	46.0	46.0	36.0	40.0	36.0	45.0
Millcreek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1212 Reva Ridge Way	Lexington	40517	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3527	529	44	11.9	70.5%	135 (25.5%)	198 (37.4%)	120 (22.7%)	14 (2.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	59 (11.2%)	19.9	577^th of 684 public elementary schools	15.6%		11.7	631^st of 685 public elementary schools	7.9%	54	24.0	23.0	30.0	29.0	35.0	51.0	26.0	23.0	27.0	31.0
Breckinridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2101 St. Mathilda Dr.	Lexington	40502	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3273	576	50	11.5	81.1%	86 (14.9%)	205 (35.6%)	230 (39.9%)	10 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.6%)	44.4	388^th of 684 public elementary schools	43.3%		47.4	358^th of 685 public elementary schools	47.7%	30	50.0	44.0	43.0	55.0	50.0	46.0	29.0	34.0	33.0	36.0
Julius Marks Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3277 Pepperhill Rd	Lexington	40502	Fayette County	Fayette County	No	No	No	Yes	(859) 381-3470	444	34	13.0	68.9%	167 (37.6%)	131 (29.5%)	85 (19.1%)	6 (1.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (11.7%)	27.4	526^th of 684 public elementary schools	23.1%		30.3	503^rd of 685 public elementary schools	26.6%	23	36.0	36.0	34.0	42.0	47.0	40.0	26.0	29.0	21.0	33.0

Frequently Asked Questions about Brenda Cowan Elementary

What schools do graduates of Brenda Cowan Elementary attend?

Students who attend Brenda Cowan Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Edythe Jones Hayes Middle School
High : Henry Clay High School

How many students attend Brenda Cowan Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 586 students attended Brenda Cowan Elementary.

What district is Brenda Cowan Elementary in?

Fayette County

What is the racial makeup of Brenda Cowan Elementary?

Students at Brenda Cowan Elementary are 41% White, 20% African American, 16% Asian, 12% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races.

Is Brenda Cowan Elementary a good school?

Brenda Cowan Elementary ranks 232^nd of 684 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Brenda Cowan Elementary!

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Latest Kentucky data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataOct 15, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 15, 2026

2025–26 KSA test scoresOct 15, 2026

2024–25 KSA test scoresOct 30, 2025

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.