One of 65 schools honored for academic improvement
February 26, 2024 – Luhr Elementary School is one of just 65 schools in the United States being recognized by the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) for exceptional student achievement in 2023. Luhr has been named a National ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) Distinguished School. Luhr won the designation for having significant student performance and academic growth for two or more consecutive years.
“This designation and honor are well deserved,” said Dr. Marty Pollio, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) superintendent. “It’s a recognition of the hard work Luhr Elementary’s leadership, staff, students and families have put in to ensure that every student succeeds and feels a sense of belonging at their school.”
The National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program publicly recognizes qualifying, federally funded schools for helping their students make significant academic improvements. The program has been in place since 1996, showcasing the success of hundreds of schools. The Kentucky Department of Education nominated Luhr and Hunter Hills Elementary School in Laurel County, which qualified for the award by:
Having a poverty rate of 35 percent or higher
Demonstrating high academic achievement or growth
Meeting or exceeding state-determined accountability criteria
The academic growth of Luhr’s students has been remarkable. The school’s scores on Kentucky’s statewide assessment have increased dramatically since the 2020-21 school year. The percentage of 3rd-5th graders scoring Proficient or Distinguished in reading rose 20 percent while the same students scoring Proficient or Distinguished in math increased nearly 31 percent during the past three years.
“Our staff and students have worked hard to maintain our positive academic trajectory since the pandemic,” said Sarah Williams, Luhr’s principal. “I am just so proud of our staff and students. For them to be recognized in this way is very special.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear joined Luhr’s students and staff at a school assembly on February 26th, celebrating the school’s designation.
“Congratulations to everyone at Luhr Elementary for this national recognition in academic achievement,” Beshear said. “I know an accomplishment like this takes a lot of hard-working folks – from the students to their families, teachers, counselors, bus drivers and more. Public schools like Mattie B. Luhr are part of the fabric of every community – connected to every success story and every family. We must do everything we can to support them, so we can see more and more amazing stories like this one.”
As part of the award, Luhr received a large banner to display in its building. Two other JCPS schools were recently designated as National ESEA Distinguished Schools – W.E.B. DuBois Academy in 2022 and Kenwood Elementary in 2021.
By Mark Hebert