There were 817 African American students enrolled in Henderson County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 1.1% increase from the 808 African American students in the previous school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Data showed that Henderson County welcomed a total of 7,596 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 10.8% of the student body to be the second most represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the 13 schools in Henderson County, Henderson County High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 174 students, making up 8.6% of the school’s total student body.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bend Gate Elementary School | 14.7% | 483 |
| The Central Academy | 16% | 489 |
| Cairo Elementary School | 3.4% | 264 |
| A. B. Chandler Elementary School | 4.7% | 279 |
| East Heights Elementary School | 11.5% | 384 |
| Henderson County High School | 8.6% | 2,035 |
| Henderson County North Middle School | 9.5% | 703 |
| Niagara Elementary School | 0.4% | 279 |
| Thelma B. Johnson Early Learning Center | 16.9% | 426 |
| South Heights Elementary School | 18.5% | 466 |
| Spottsville Elementary School | 6.8% | 586 |
| Henderson County South Middle School | 8.4% | 734 |
| Jefferson Elementary School | 21.4% | 468 |