The majority of students in Powell County’s only school district were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Of the 2,254 students attending schools in Powell County’s only school district, 94.9% were white. Hispanic or Latino students constituted the second-largest ethnic group in the county, accounting for 2.4%.
In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Powell County’s only school district, representing 95.1% of the student body.
The Powell County student population also comprised 1.9% multiracial students, 0.7% African American students, and 0.1% American Indian or Alaska Native students.
In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county dropped to 0.7% compared to the previous year.
Despite ongoing efforts to address educational disparities, Kentucky’s achievement gaps persist. In the 2024 eighth-grade reading assessments, for example, Black students scored 24 points lower than their white peers, while Hispanic students were 19 points behind. In mathematics, the gaps were even more pronounced: Black students lagged by 29 points and Hispanic students by 19 points compared to white students. These disparities have remained relatively unchanged since 2000, highlighting the need for continued focus on equity in education.
| District | Most Prevalent | Percent of Total Student Body | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powell County School District | White | 94.9% | 2,254 |
