West Pennyroyal News

There were seven American Indian or Alaska Native students enrolled in Monroe County School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 40% more than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that Monroe County School District welcomed 1,924 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian or Alaska Native students comprised 0.4% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the district.

Monroe County School District roughly covers five schools within Monroe County and has a main office in Tompkinsville.

Among the five schools in Monroe County School District, Gamaliel Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian or Alaska Native students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of three 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 American Indian or Alaska Native Students	American Indian or Alaska Native %
2022-23	1,924	7	0.4%
2021-22	1,890	5	0.3%
2020-21	1,941	5	0.3%
2019-20	1,973	6	0.3%