Model Laboratory middle and high schools each rank among the top 10 in the state at their respective levels, according to the 2015-16 School Report Card released by the Kentucky Department of Education.
Model Laboratory High School posted the fourth-biggest gain among the Commonwealth’s high schools and moved from a Proficient designation the previous year to become a School of Distinction/High Progress School. Its 85.3 score (out of 100) ranked ninth among Kentucky’s high schools.
Model Middle School, which advanced from a Distinguished designation in 2014-15 to a School of Distinction/High Progress School, ranked as the fourth-best middle school in the state with a score of 87.1.
Model Elementary School ranked as a Proficient/Focus School in 2015-16. Only grades 3-5 are tested at the elementary level.
“We are very proud of the effort our students put forth in academic achievement,” said Laura Dedic, named this year as director of Model Secondary School (grades 6-12). “Last year, a concerted effort was made to look at the individual student and how we could best meet their academic needs. We also challenged our middle and high school students to set goals and exceed our expectations. These scores reflect their success. Our faculty should be commended for their hard work and dedication to each Model student.”
Model has 225 students at the high school level, 178 at the middle school level and 312 in elementary school (155 elementary students were tested last year).
Dr. Ann Burns served as interim director of Model Laboratory School for 2015-16. Earlier this year, Dr. Eric Parker was named executive director of the school, with Dedic taking over as director of the secondary level and Carrie Ballinger at the elementary level (grades N-5).
To see the complete Kentucky School Report Card, visit applications.education.ky.gov/SRC/.
For the past two years, Model Laboratory School has ranked among the top 2 percent of the nation’s public high schools, according to Newsweek. In the magazine’s “America’s Top High Schools 2015” survey, Model was one of only three Kentucky high schools to rank in the top 500 among the nation’s approximately 25,000 public high schools. Also last year, the research site Niche ranked Model as the third best public high school in Kentucky.
Established more than a century ago on the Eastern campus, Model Laboratory School also provides field experiences for EKU students as it demonstrates evidence-based strategies. It is the Commonwealth’s only remaining laboratory school.