North Bluegrass News

There were 526 Hispanic or Latino students enrolled in Bourbon County School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 6.9% more than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that Bourbon County School District welcomed 3,016 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, Hispanic or Latino students comprised 17.4% of the student body to be the second most represented ethnicity in the district.

Bourbon County School District roughly covers six schools within Bourbon County and has a main office in Paris.

Among the six schools in Bourbon County School District, Bourbon County High School recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic or Latino students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 173 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 Hispanic or Latino Students	Hispanic or Latino %
2022-23	3,016	526	17.4%
2021-22	3,137	492	15.7%
2020-21	3,201	488	15.2%
2019-20	3,301	494	15%