Elizabethtown Times

There were 318 African American students enrolled in Elizabethtown Independent School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 4.5% less than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that Elizabethtown Independent School District welcomed 2,685 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 11.8% of the student body to be one of the most represented ethnicities in the district.

Elizabethtown Independent School District roughly covers six schools within Hardin County and has a main office in Elizabethtown.

Among the six schools in Elizabethtown Independent School District, Elizabethtown High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 102 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	2,685	318	11.8%
2021-22	2,698	333	12.3%
2020-21	2,684	304	11.3%
2019-20	2,713	327	12.1%