SE Kentucky News

There were 23 Hispanic or Latino students enrolled in Bell County School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 15% more than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that Bell County School District welcomed 2,666 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, Hispanic or Latino students comprised 0.9% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the district.

Bell County School District roughly covers seven schools within Bell County and has a main office in Pineville.

Among the seven schools in Bell County School District, Yellow Creek School Center recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic or Latino students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of eight students.

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.

Year	Total District Enrollment	Total Hispanic or Latino Students	Hispanic or Latino %
2022-23	2,666	23	0.9%
2021-22	2,751	20	0.7%
2020-21	2,756	15	0.5%
2019-20	2,808	15	0.5%