NW Kentucky News

There were 1,425 kindergarten students enrolled in Daviess County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 1.7% less than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Estes Elementary School welcomed most of the kindergarten students in the county, registering 128 students.

Within Daviess County schools, the highest student population was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in preschool.

Statewide, Daviess County ranked seventh in enrollment numbers. It was also ranked seventh 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 Kindergarten Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Estes Elementary School	128	25%	511
Foust Elementary School	114	24.1%	473
Newton Parrish Elementary School	112	18.7%	599
Sutton Elementary School	103	17.7%	583
F. T. Burns Elementary School	96	17.9%	535
Meadow Lands Elementary School	90	17.7%	509
Tamarack Elementary School	89	14.8%	601
Cravens Elementary School	79	19.9%	396
Highland Elementary School	78	15.4%	505
Country Heights Elementary School	78	15.7%	496
Whitesville Elementary School	74	19.1%	388
East View Elementary School	73	14.5%	503
Southern Oaks Elementary School	68	13.6%	499
Deer Park Elementary School	62	11.8%	526
Audubon Elementary School	62	14.7%	421
Sorgho Elementary School	53	13.6%	391
West Louisville Elementary School	51	14%	365
Valley Elementary School	15	5%	301