Lawrence County Schools: Which ethnicity was most represented in 2023-24 school year?

The majority of students in Lawrence County schools were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Of the 2,521 students attending Lawrence County schools, 96.2% were white. Multiracial students were the second most represented ethnicity, making up 1.7%.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Lawrence County schools, representing 96.1% of the student body.

Louisa Middle School had the most even distribution of races among county schools, which included 94.6% white students, 2.8% multiracial students, 1.3% Hispanic or Latino students, 0.9% African American students, and 0.2% Asian students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in schools in the county dropped to 3.8% compared to the previous 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.

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.