Elizabethtown Times

The majority of students in Hardin County's school districts were white in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Of the 18,560 students attending schools in Hardin County's school districts, 67.1% were white. African American students constituted the second-largest ethnic group in the county's school districts, accounting for 14.4%.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Hardin County's school districts, representing 66.3% of the student body.

Elizabethtown Independent School District had the most even distribution of races among county districts, which included 66.6% white students, 12.6% African American students, 10.2% multiracial students, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino students, 2.9% Asian students, and 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county dropped to 2.8% compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Hardin County.

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.

District	Most Prevalent	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Hardin County School District	White	67.1	15,847
Elizabethtown Independent School District	White	66.6	2,713