There were 96 African American students enrolled in Mercer County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 8.6% decrease from the 105 African American students in the previous school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Data showed that Mercer County welcomed a total of 3,495 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 2.7% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the seven schools in Mercer County, Mercer County Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 36 students, making up 4.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Burgin Independent School | 0.9% | 546 |
| Mercer County Senior High School | 4.6% | 789 |
| Mercer County Day Treatment | 6.3% | 32 |
| Kenneth D. King Middle School | 2.5% | 652 |
| Mercer Central | 4% | 75 |
| Mercer County Intermediate School | 3.2% | 597 |
| Mercer County Elementary School | 1.9% | 804 |