There were 74 African American students enrolled in Knox County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 1.3% decrease from the 75 African American students in the previous school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Data showed that Knox County welcomed a total of 4,712 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 1.6% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 15 schools in Knox County, Barbourville City School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 19 students, making up 2.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Barbourville City School | 2.3% | 809 |
| Lynn Camp Elementary School | 0.3% | 602 |
| Knox Appalachian School | 11.8% | 68 |
| Knox County Middle School | 2.2% | 600 |
| Lynn Camp Middle High School | 1.2% | 519 |
| Central Elementary School | 1.7% | 362 |
| Knox County Learning Academy | 1.3% | 150 |
| Dewitt Elementary School | 0.6% | 155 |
| Girdler Elementary School | 1.3% | 306 |
| Knox Central High School | 1.1% | 813 |
| Jesse D. Lay Elementary School | 1.2% | 328 |