SE Kentucky News

There was one American Indian or Alaska Native student enrolled in Whitley County School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 66.7% less than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that Whitley County School District welcomed 4,683 student during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian or Alaska Native students comprised less than 0.1% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the district.

Whitley County School District roughly covers 11 schools within Whitley County and has a main office in Williamsburg.

Among the 11 schools in Whitley County School District, Whitley County Middle School was the only school that enrolled American Indian or Alaska Native students in the 2022-23 school year.

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 American Indian or Alaska Native Students	American Indian or Alaska Native %
2022-23	4,683	1	0%
2021-22	4,621	3	0.1%
2020-21	4,585	0	0%
2019-20	4,659	0	0%