East Pennyroyal News

There were 198 fourth grade students enrolled in Casey County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 12.5% more than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Walnut Hill Elementary School and Liberty Elementary School welcomed most of the fourth grade students in the county, registering 74 students.

Within Casey County schools, the highest student population was found in kindergarten and first grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in preschool.

Statewide, Casey County ranked 77th in enrollment numbers. It was also ranked 77th the year before.

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.

School	# of 4th Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Walnut Hill Elementary School	74	17.4%	425
Liberty Elementary School	74	17.2%	430
Jones Park Elementary School	50	16.1%	311