East Pennyroyal News

There were four American Indian or Alaska Native students enrolled in McCreary County School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, the same number as in the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that McCreary County School District welcomed 2,939 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, American Indian or Alaska Native students comprised 0.1% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the district.

McCreary County School District roughly covers four schools within McCreary County and has a main office in Stearns.

Among the four schools in McCreary County School District, Whitley City Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian or Alaska Native students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of two 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	2,939	4	0.1%
2021-22	2,982	4	0.1%
2020-21	3,080	4	0.1%
2019-20	3,106	2	0.1%