Summary:
ZIP code 41240 has two elementary schools, Paintsville Elementary and Central Elementary; both serve prekindergarten through grade 6. In 2025–26, both schools’ average reading results across grades 3–6 were above the state average of 51%: Paintsville scored 59% and Central 68%. Their math averages were closer to the state average of 43%: 45% at Paintsville and 49% at Central. The strongest overall academic pattern in the area is at Central, particularly in reading.
Central Elementary stands out in most comparable current results: it leads in fifth-grade social studies, 51% to 18%, and fifth-grade math, 51% to 25%; it also scores 72% in fourth-grade reading, compared with 57% at Paintsville. Central’s fourth-grade science result is 63%, versus 49% at Paintsville and 40% statewide. Paintsville Elementary has notable strengths too, including third-grade reading at 66% (17 points above the state) and sixth-grade reading at 70% (16 points above). Its clearest concerns are fifth-grade math and social studies, both well below the state results. Central’s fifth-grade writing score is suppressed by the state and cannot be compared.
Results have improved relative to state scores overall, but changes vary by grade and subject: the schools’ average state-relative gap rose from about 5 points in 2024–25 to about 7 points in 2025–26, while Paintsville’s fifth-grade math fell 15 points relative to the state. SchoolDigger rankings also rose over three years: Central moved from 259th of 685 schools (62nd percentile) to 139th of 684 (80th percentile), and Paintsville from 419th (39th percentile) to 322nd (53rd percentile). Chronic absenteeism remains a concern: it was 34% at Central and 30% at Paintsville, compared with 24% statewide. Both report the same low-income measure, free/reduced lunch eligible, for 2024–25: 77% at Central and 50% at Paintsville. Central also has a lower student-teacher ratio (11.8 versus 14.4) and lower enrollment (341 versus 434); these are context, not explanations for test results.
Thank you for your feedback!