North Kentucky News

There were 1,836 seventh grade students enrolled in Boone County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 1% less than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Gray Middle School welcomed most of the seventh grade students in the county, registering 356 students.

Within Boone County schools, the highest student population was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in preschool.

Statewide, Boone County ranked fifth in enrollment numbers. It was also ranked fifth the year before.

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.

School	# of 7th Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Gray Middle School	356	33.7%	1,057
Conner Middle School	302	32.6%	927
Camp Ernst Middle School	285	37.1%	769
Rector A. Jones Middle School	260	33.6%	774
Ballyshannon Middle School	238	36.6%	651
Ockerman Middle School	213	29.9%	713
Walton-Verona Middle School	150	26.7%	562
Rise Academy	23	11.4%	202
ACCEL Academy	9	2.4%	372