There were 123 African American students enrolled in Bell County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 5.4% decrease from the 130 African American students in the previous school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Data showed that Bell County welcomed a total of 4,652 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 2.6% of the student body to be the third most represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 11 schools in Bell County, Middlesboro Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 24 students, making up 4.6% of the school’s total student body.
Kentucky is in the midst of a statewide teacher shortage as turnover rates spiked to 10.9% in 2023, up from an 8.9% nine-year average. This issue is more prominent in schools with more low-income and minority students.
Between 2019 and 2023, there was an increase of 260% in the number of available teaching posts in Kentucky schools. This often leads to larger class sizes, combining programs, and retaining staff despite potential negative impacts on teacher working conditions.
| School name | % of African American Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Bell Central School Center | 0.2% | 538 |
| Page School Center | 0.3% | 302 |
| Bell County High School | 0.6% | 702 |
| Frakes School Center | 0.8% | 122 |
| Lone Jack School Center | 1.2% | 246 |
| Right Fork School Center | 0.6% | 174 |
| Yellow Creek School Center | 1.8% | 623 |
| Middlesboro Alternative School | 4.3% | 46 |
| Middlesboro Elementary School | 4.6% | 526 |
| Middlesboro Group Home School | 59.4% | 32 |
| Middlesboro Middle School | 6.2% | 337 |
| Middlesboro High School | 6.3% | 365 |
| Pineville Independent School | 1.9% | 639 |