Jackson Purchase News

There were 52 Asian students enrolled in Murray Independent School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 23.8% more than the previous year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Data showed that Murray Independent School District welcomed 1,975 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, Asian students comprised 2.6% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the district.

Murray Independent School District roughly covers four schools within Calloway County and has a main office in Murray.

Among the four schools in Murray Independent School District, Murray Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of Asian students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 22 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 Asian Students	Asian %
2022-23	1,975	52	2.6%
2021-22	1,894	42	2.2%
2020-21	1,877	46	2.5%
2019-20	1,894	60	3.2%