Frakes School Center Catches National Attention

Since November, excitement has filled the air at Frakes School Center as the school has achieved the type of excellence all schools hope for: being ranked as the state's best and second-best school in different categories. These achievements have gained statewide and even national attention for the staff, students, and administration at Frakes. That attention recently led to a case study and publication by The Thoughtful Classroom, a nation-wide educational organization that teaches the instructional strategies that have been key to student success at Frakes.

The case study highlights Principal Christie Willis' leadership and dedication to improving student engagement from day one, stating, "When Principal Willis joined Frakes in February 2022, one of her first initiatives was to conduct Learning Walks and data reviews." However, as a new leader, Principal Willis recognized that "this work of learning where we were had to be done with teachers, rather than to them."

The article also highlights that the journey "from code orange to number two in Kentucky" was made possible through a team effort across Willis' staff. The study explains that, as a team, the staff recognized that while classrooms were orderly and relationships were positive, the challenge was ensuring students were highly engaged in the kind of thinking and discussion required for deeper learning.

The study shares that the team at Frakes found tremendous success when, rather than launching multiple initiatives, they committed to a single, high-leverage priority: student engagement. The results are evident throughout the school's current data, including the following highlights from the study:

• Frakes Middle School's state ranking improved from #171 to #2 in just two years.
• Frakes Elementary School's state ranking improved from #590 to #12 in just two years.
• In 2025, Frakes Middle School was ranked the #1 middle school in Kentucky for Combined Writing, with 100% of eighth-grade students scoring Distinguished or Proficient.
• In 2025, Frakes Middle School was ranked the #4 middle school in Kentucky for Social Studies, with 75% of eighth-grade students scoring Distinguished or Proficient.
• At Frakes Elementary School, the percentage of students scoring Proficient in mathematics more than tripled over three years, increasing from 16.7% in 2022 to 51.0% in 2025.
• Across all tested grades (3-8), more than half of the students improved by at least one performance level in both mathematics and reading between 2024 and 2025.
• In fourth grade, mathematics proficiency increased by 55 percentage points in one year, rising from 20% in 2024 to 75% in 2025.

As the case study concludes, the team at The Thoughtful Classroom writes, "Frakes School Center's journey illustrates a familiar but often overlooked truth: meaningful school improvement does not depend on size, location, or programs. When educators agree on what matters, share a common language for practice, and learn together over time, even the smallest schools can achieve extraordinary results."

We are incredibly thankful that educators across Kentucky and the nation are seeing the results of our staff's hard work. We are proud of every member of the Frakes School Center team for their unwavering commitment to every student, every day—a commitment that continues to produce outstanding academic achievement and exceptional student engagement.

You can find the entire case study at:

https://thoughtfulclassroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/FrakesCaseStudyv5.2.pdf