SE Kentucky News

Clay County High School had the highest enrollment among Clay County schools, welcoming 895 students during the 2022-23 school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Of all the students welcomed in the 2022-23 school year, 53.6% of them were boys, and 46.4% were girls.

Data also showed that the majority of students were white, making up 96.5% of Clay County High School's total enrollment.

Among the 10 schools in Clay County, Clay County Middle School ranked second in enrollment numbers with 519 students, while Manchester Elementary School welcomed 498 students and ranked third in the 2022-23 school year.

Clay County High School is part of Clay County School District, which roughly covers schools within Clay County and has a main office in Manchester.

In the previous school year, Clay County High School also had the highest number of students among Clay County schools.

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.

Data also shows that 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	City	Total School Enrollment
Clay County High School	Manchester	895
Clay County Middle School	Manchester	519
Manchester Elementary School	Manchester	498
Paces Creek Elementary School	Manchester	373
Burning Springs Elementary School	Manchester	345
Hacker Elementary School	Manchester	330
Big Creek Elementary School	Oneida	232
Goose Rock Elementary School	Manchester	232
Horse Creek Learning Center	Manchester	169
Oneida Elementary School	Oneida	150