There were 237 African American students enrolled in Bourbon County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 2.2% increase from the 232 African American students in the previous school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Data showed that Bourbon County welcomed a total of 3,761 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 6.3% of the student body to be the third most represented ethnicity in the county.
Among the eight schools in Bourbon County, Paris Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 61 students, making up 16.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bourbon Central Elementary School | 4.9% | 512 |
| Bourbon County Preschool Headstart | 2.7% | 224 |
| Cane Ridge Elementary School | 1.4% | 490 |
| North Middletown Elementary School | 0.7% | 148 |
| Bourbon County High School | 3% | 874 |
| Bourbon County Middle School | 1.5% | 620 |
| Paris Elementary School | 16.6% | 368 |
| Paris High School | 20.5% | 254 |
| Paris Middle School | 17.7% | 175 |
| Paris Preschool Center | 19.8% | 96 |