Schools in Zip Code 41653

Zip code 41653 has five schools serving kindergarten through grade 12: two elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools. Three schools report KSA results; the two Home Instruction schools, Home Instruction High School and Home Instruction Elementary, enroll 12 and 7 students and have no supplied test results. Overall, the reported proficiency results average about 8 percentage points below state benchmarks. The clearest shared concern is math: results are 17 points below the state at Prestonsburg Elementary School, 13 points below at James D. Adams Middle School and 18 points below at Prestonsburg High School.

Prestonsburg High School stands out most against its state benchmarks: its average gap across six subjects is essentially zero, with writing 18 points above state, editing and mechanics 7 points above, and reading just 2 points below. Its graduation rate is 97%, compared with 94% statewide, and its dropout rate is 0%, versus 1% statewide. The widest shortfalls are at Prestonsburg Elementary School, whose average gap is 14 points below state; social studies is 20 points below, writing 15 below and science 14 below. James D. Adams Middle School is closer in writing, at 3 points below state, but trails by 13 points in science and 9 in both reading and editing and mechanics.

Recent results show different paths: elementary’s gap widened from 10 points below state in 2024–2025 to 13 below in 2025–2026, while the middle-school gap narrowed from 12 to 10 points below and the high-school gap narrowed from 2 points below to nearly even. SchoolDigger rankings also varied: James D. Adams rose from 9 to 18 over three years, Prestonsburg High moved from 50 to 51 after dipping to 40, and Prestonsburg Elementary went from 12 to 24 and then 18. Chronic absenteeism remains high at all three: 40% at the elementary school, 42% at the middle school and 37% at the high school, versus 24% statewide. For context, 2024–2025 free/reduced lunch eligible rates were 78%, 70% and 65%, respectively; student-teacher ratios were 15.1, 15.5 and 17.1.