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

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

Of the 9,010 students attending Jessamine County schools, 75.7% were white. Hispanic or Latino students were the second most represented ethnicity, making up 9.6%.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Jessamine County schools, representing 76.6% of the student body.

Ashgrove Academy had the most even distribution of races among county schools, which included 61.8% white students, 20.6% African American students, 11.8% multiracial students, 2.9% Asian students, and 2.9% Hispanic or Latino students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in schools in the county dropped to 0.1% 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.