There were 391 African American students enrolled in Barren County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 3% decrease from the 403 African American students in the previous school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Data showed that Barren County welcomed a total of 9,139 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 4.3% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 18 schools in Barren County, two schools recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 59 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.
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 | % of African American Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Tracy Elementary School | 1.6% | 386 |
| College Street Campus | 9.3% | 75 |
| BAVEL | 3.1% | 286 |
| North Jackson Elementary School | 1.1% | 566 |
| Barren County High School | 1% | 1,398 |
| Eastern Elementary School | 1.1% | 357 |
| Barren County Middle School | 2.3% | 687 |
| Hiseville Elementary School | 0.9% | 338 |
| Park City Elementary School | 1.5% | 395 |
| Red Cross Elementary School | 2.7% | 754 |
| Temple Hill Elementary School | 1% | 315 |
| Caverna Elementary School | 7.6% | 384 |
| Caverna Middle School | 10.6% | 123 |
| Caverna High School | 14.3% | 245 |
| Success Academy | 6.6% | 106 |
| Highland Elementary School | 7.3% | 809 |
| Happy Valley Learning Center | 11.7% | 60 |
| Glasgow High School | 9% | 654 |
| Glasgow Middle School | 7% | 571 |
| South Green Elementary School | 7.6% | 630 |