East Louisville News

There were 54 African American students enrolled in Eminence Independent School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 28.9% less than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that Eminence Independent School District welcomed 1,096 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 4.9% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the district.

Eminence Independent School District roughly covers three schools within Henry County and has a main office in Eminence.

Among the three schools in Eminence Independent School District, Bluegrass Challenge Academy and Eminence High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 19 students.

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.

Year	Total District Enrollment	Total African American Students	African American %
2022-23	1,096	54	4.9%
2021-22	1,108	76	6.9%
2020-21	1,049	61	5.8%
2019-20	1,106	85	7.7%