Hopkins County’s schools’ student body predominantly white in 2023-24 school year

The majority of students in Hopkins County schools were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Of the 7,644 students attending Hopkins County schools, 78.7% were white. Multiracial students were the second most represented ethnicity, making up 7.8%.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Hopkins County schools, representing 78.5% of the student body.

Jesse Stuart Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among county schools, which included 64.4% white students, 12.2% multiracial students, 12% African American students, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino students, 1.1% Asian students, and 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in schools in the county increased by 3.6% 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.

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.