There were 67 African American students enrolled in Whitley County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 24.1% increase from the 54 African American students in the previous school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Data showed that Whitley County welcomed a total of 7,902 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 0.8% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 18 schools in Whitley County, Williamsburg City School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 11 students, making up 1.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Corbin Educational Center | 7.1% | 70 |
| Corbin Elementary School | 2.5% | 402 |
| Corbin High School | 0.5% | 858 |
| Corbin Middle School | 0.4% | 711 |
| Corbin Primary School | 0.6% | 863 |
| Colonel Academy | 0.5% | 215 |
| Whitley County East Elementary School | 1% | 312 |
| Whitley County Alternative School | 2.5% | 119 |
| Oak Grove Elementary School | 0.8% | 732 |
| Pleasant View Elementary School | 0.8% | 253 |
| Whitley County North Elementary School | 0.6% | 322 |
| Whitley County Central Primary School | 0.6% | 513 |
| Whitley County High School | 0.5% | 1,039 |
| Whitley County Middle School | 0.7% | 576 |
| Williamsburg City School | 1.2% | 917 |