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Letcher Elementary & Middle School

Q: Is Letcher Elementary & Middle School a good school?

Letcher Elementary & Middle School ranks 460 th of 684 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-8

460^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 684 Kentucky Elementary Schools

Better than 33% of Kentucky elementary schools

Summary

Letcher Elementary & Middle School serves 322 students in kindergarten through eighth grade in Blackey, in Letcher County. SchoolDigger ranks the district 110th of 158 Kentucky districts, at the 30th percentile with 2 stars. Attendance is the clearest concern: chronic absenteeism was 53% in 2025–26, compared with 45% in the district and 24% statewide. Although it fell 14 points from 2022–23, the school still had the second-highest rate among 11 nearby schools; only Martha Jane Potter Elementary School was higher, at 54%.

Achievement varies sharply by grade, with fourth-grade Math and sixth-grade Reading standing out as strengths. Fourth-grade Math proficiency was 59%, above the state’s 43%, the district’s 38%, and the nearby-school average of 45%. Sixth-grade Reading was 56%, above the state by 2 points and the district by 3, and slightly above the nearby average of 54%. Other results were weaker: eighth-grade Math was 28%, 11 points below the state and below the nearby average of 37%; third-grade Reading was 37%, compared with 49% statewide and a nearby average of 53%. Social Studies was also weak relative to the state, averaging 27% in grades 5 and 8 versus 39% statewide.

Reading results have improved substantially over time, though the progress is not shared equally across grades or subjects. For the same five reported grades, the school’s average Reading proficiency rose from 26% in 2022–23 to 45% in 2025–26, narrowing its gap with the state from 20 points below to 4 points below. SchoolDigger places the school 460th of 684 Kentucky schools for 2025–26, at the 33rd percentile with 2 stars; its percentile rose 30 points from 2022–23 and has held at 33 for the past two years. The student-teacher ratio was 15.3:1 in 2024–25, the highest among nearby schools, whose average was 13.3:1. Free/reduced lunch eligible students made up 76% in 2024–25, close to the nearby average of 77%. SchoolDigger’s measure for Female Students rose from the 14th percentile in 2023–24 to the 41st in 2025–26, above the school’s overall 33rd percentile.

322

Students ?

15.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,520

Per pupil spending ?

76.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

160 LHS Drive
Blackey, KY 41804

(606) 633-2524

District: Letcher County

Racial breakdown:

White:

100.0%

See top rated Kentucky elementary schools

Compare Letcher Elementary & Middle School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 3rd percentile in 2023 → 33rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 30 percentile points since 2023

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Letcher County

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Kentucky average (38% vs 43% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (53% vs 24% Kentucky)

!Writing scores 16 pts below the Kentucky average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school38%

District avg37%

Kentucky avg43%

Elementary school

460^th of 684

Kentucky public elementary schools ?

Bottom 33%▲ up 30 pts since 2023

From bottom 3% (2023) to bottom 33% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

232^nd of 326

Kentucky public middle schools ?

Bottom 29%▲ up 5 pts since 2023

From bottom 24% (2023) to bottom 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Kentucky Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4Elementary Schools in the Letcher County

110^th of 158Letcher 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	35.4	460 of 684	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.9	462 of 685	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	21.3	565 of 685	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	5.5	669 of 687	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	43.5	385 of 657	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	26.1	512 of 648	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.2	554 of 644	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	3.3	633 of 639	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	41.4	398 of 674	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.1	392 of 672	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	27.8	509 of 665	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	5.1	661 of 670	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	36.5	422 of 651	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.8	391 of 653	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	23.6	523 of 652	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	8.6	629 of 652	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	28.6	489 of 650	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.7	499 of 659	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.6	602 of 659	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	3.3	656 of 658	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	31.9	232 of 326	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	35.9	212 of 320	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	13.2	294 of 324	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.8	250 of 327	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	27.3	233 of 299	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	34.9	205 of 298	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	7.5	285 of 300	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	26.4	226 of 295	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2025	77.2	4 of 24	83.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	29.4	232 of 313	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	39.2	192 of 314	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.3	270 of 311	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.6	231 of 309	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	41.4	168 of 299	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.7	183 of 303	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	26.9	230 of 304	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.5	199 of 307	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Kentucky percentile	Rating
2026	25.7	247 of 316	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.8	230 of 314	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	9.3	297 of 316	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.1	260 of 320	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Female (2026)41st percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)41st percentile+8 vs school

Male (2026)35th percentile~ school

White (2026)25th percentile-8 vs school

Middle school

Homeless (2025)83rd percentile+50 vs school

Male (2026)44th percentile+15 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile-3 vs school

Female (2026)22nd percentile-7 vs school

White (2026)22nd percentile-7 vs school

By subject vs Kentucky (2025-2026) ?

Editing and Mechanics46%~ state avg

Reading43%-6 vs state

Mathematics36%-6 vs state

Social Studies27%-12 vs state

Writing25%-16 vs state

★

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Schools Near Letcher Elementary & Middle School

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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 Mathematics 6th Grade	KSA Mathematics 7th Grade	KSA Mathematics 8th Grade	KSA Reading 3rd Grade	KSA Reading 4th Grade	KSA Reading 5th Grade	KSA Reading 6th Grade	KSA Reading 7th Grade	KSA Reading 8th Grade	KSA Science 4th Grade	KSA Science 7th Grade	KSA Writing 5th Grade	KSA Writing 8th Grade	KSA Social Studies 5th Grade	KSA Social Studies 8th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 5th Grade	KSA Editing and Mechanics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Letcher Elementary & Middle School	Public	K-8	160 LHS Drive	Blackey	41804	Letcher County	Letcher County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 633-2524	322	21	15.3	76.1%	322 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35.4	460^th of 684 public elementary schools	32.7%		34.9	462^nd of 685 public elementary schools	32.6%	2	33.0	59.0	28.0	31.0		28.0	37.0	45.0	33.0	56.0	53.0	32.0			25.0		22.0	32.0	64.0	28.0	$19,520	$3,172	$16,114
West Whitesburg Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	330 Park St	Whitesburg	41858	Letcher County	Letcher County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 633-9538	462	34	13.7	68.2%	448 (97.0%)	3 (0.6%)	4 (0.9%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	13.4	624^th of 684 public elementary schools	8.8%		30.7	499^th of 685 public elementary schools	27.2%	125	25.0	24.0	21.0				32.0	43.0	31.0				26.0				18.0		17.0		$18,948	$3,617	$15,187
Carr Creek Elementary School	Public	K-8	8596 S Hwy 160	Littcarr	41834	Knott County	Knott County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 642-3833	369	27	13.6	73.7%	356 (96.5%)	7 (1.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	53.9	298^th of 684 public elementary schools	56.4%		71.5	159^th of 685 public elementary schools	76.8%	139		86.0	28.0	45.0	32.0	20.0	68.0	86.0	36.0	72.0	44.0	38.0	68.0	30.0	22.0	25.0	14.0	40.0	22.0	23.0	$16,155	$1,935	$14,219
Cowan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	3125 Hwy 931 S	Whitesburg	41858	Letcher County	Letcher County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 633-7195	246	17	14.7	78.0%	238 (96.7%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	19.1	584^th of 684 public elementary schools	14.6%		31.1	494^th of 685 public elementary schools	27.9%	90	29.0			23.0	30.0	46.0	32.0	37.0	27.0	45.0	56.0	35.0	46.0	22.0	23.0	52.0	12.0	35.0	23.0	46.0	$19,538	$3,271	$16,037
Robert W Combs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	9165 Hwy 15 S	Happy	41746	Perry County	Perry County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 476-2518	325	25	13.2	83.7%	319 (98.2%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	14.9	611^th of 684 public elementary schools	10.7%		21.7	563^rd of 685 public elementary schools	17.8%	48			20.0		32.0	34.0	40.0		30.0	43.0	48.0	28.0				38.0	20.0	38.0	25.0	25.0	$15,865	$2,262	$12,038
Martha Jane Potter Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	55 Kona Dr	Whitesburg	41858	Letcher County	Letcher County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 855-7544	273	20	13.9	67.4%	264 (96.7%)	2 (0.7%)	6 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	29.3	505^th of 684 public elementary schools	26.2%		28.8	511^th of 685 public elementary schools	25.4%	6	28.0	48.0	33.0				38.0	44.0	36.0				33.0		18.0		22.0		49.0		$18,585	$3,162	$15,174
Viper Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	20 Eddington Ln	Viper	41774	Perry County	Perry County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 439-3837	282	19	15.1	80.5%	277 (98.2%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	80.1	104^th of 684 public elementary schools	84.8%		67.5	194^th of 685 public elementary schools	71.7%	90		68.0	53.0	68.0	47.0	40.0	75.0	79.0	78.0		61.0	43.0	57.0		34.0	57.0	34.0	26.0	66.0	40.0	$16,153	$1,948	$12,653
Hindman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	875 W Main St	Hindman	41822	Knott County	Knott County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 785-5872	434	32	13.5	71.2%	426 (98.2%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	46.5	371^st of 684 public elementary schools	45.8%		49.7	339^th of 685 public elementary schools	50.5%	32	39.0	30.0	38.0	36.0	56.0	45.0	65.0	59.0	56.0	62.0	69.0	45.0	27.0		20.0	45.0	36.0	33.0	56.0	40.0	$16,767	$2,474	$14,294
Cumberland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	322 Golf Course Rd	Cumberland	40823	Harlan County	Harlan County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 589-2511	428	32	13.2	83.4%	381 (89.0%)	22 (5.1%)	8 (1.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	45.4	381^st of 684 public elementary schools	44.3%		37.9	448^th of 685 public elementary schools	34.6%	67	47.0	36.0		44.0	52.0	57.0	60.0	53.0	41.0	61.0	66.0	64.0	42.0	45.0	9.0	41.0	32.0	64.0	44.0	66.0	$17,665	$2,538	$14,853
Emmalena Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	8343 W Hwy 550	Emmalena	41740	Knott County	Knott County	No	No	No	Yes	(606) 251-3651	204	19	11.0	80.4%	202 (99.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	45.9	374^th of 684 public elementary schools	45.3%		49	342^nd of 685 public elementary schools	50.1%	32	48.0	24.0	27.0	60.0		26.0	57.0	29.0	60.0		36.0		35.0	36.0		63.0	53.0	37.0	33.0	53.0	$18,335	$2,528	$15,807

Frequently Asked Questions about Letcher Elementary & Middle School

How many students attend Letcher Elementary & Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 322 students attended Letcher Elementary & Middle School.

What district is Letcher Elementary & Middle School in?

Letcher County

What is the racial makeup of Letcher Elementary & Middle School?

Students at Letcher Elementary & Middle School are 100% White.

Is Letcher Elementary & Middle School a good school?

Letcher Elementary & Middle School ranks 460^th of 684 Kentucky elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Letcher Elementary & Middle School!

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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.