NE Kentucky News

The majority of students in Lewis County's only school district were white in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Of the 2,396 students attending schools in Lewis County's only school district, 96.5% were white. Multiracial students constituted the second-largest ethnic group in the county's school district, accounting for 2.5%.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Lewis County's only school district, representing 96.8% of the student body.

The Lewis County student population also comprised 0.4% African American students, 0.4% Hispanic or Latino students, 0.1% Asian students, and 0.1% American Indian or Alaska Native students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county increased by 7.9% 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.

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.

District	Most Prevalent	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Lewis County School District	White	96.5	2,396