Casey County High School has earned a spot among the best in Kentucky, ranking third in the state for college and career readiness. This achievement, which comes from the Kentucky Summative Assessment students took in May 2025, highlights the school’s efforts to prepare students not just for graduation, but for what comes next: college, careers, and life beyond the classroom.
College and career readiness, as CCHS curriculum coach Tracie Hoskins described it, is a statewide measurement used to evaluate how prepared students are for postsecondary opportunities.
According to her, students can meet readiness standards through either academic performance or career-focused pathways.
One example of how students can meet these readiness standards is by earning qualifying scores on nationally recognized exams.
“Students are considered college-ready if they meet a benchmark on reading, English or math on a college entrance exam, such as ACT, KYOTE or SAT,” Hoskins said.
For students pursuing a more hands-on approach, career readiness offers an alternative pathway. This option focuses on skill development within a specific career field.
“Career readiness is met by completing at least three courses in one career pathway and passing an industry certification or KY End of Program Assessment,” Hoskins said.
The state determines a school’s readiness score by examining how many seniors meet at least one of these criteria.
Schools are then ranked based on the percentage of students who qualify.
“Extra points are earned for passing a high-demand industry certification,” Hoskins also noted.
She describes these high-demand industries as fields where employers are actively seeking workers. Examples include health care, manufacturing, information technology and skilled trades. These certifications are especially valued because they prepare students for jobs that are currently available and are expected to grow.
Hoskins credits the school’s success to its “hands-on learning, student motivation and careful scheduling.”
As expectations for postsecondary readiness continue to increase, the school plans to build on this momentum and aim even higher in the coming years.
“We ranked third in the state this year for college and career readiness, so we do have room to improve,” Hoskins said. “I would love to be ranked No. 1 this year.”
