Letcher County School District

224 Park St
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(District boundaries shown in map)
4/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Letcher County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Kentucky for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 3 public preschools serving 981 students in Letcher County School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Kentucky.
Public Preschools in Letcher County School District have an average math proficiency score of 33% (versus the Kentucky public pre school average of 42%), and reading proficiency score of 44% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 3% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is less than the Kentucky public preschool average of 25% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (KY)
# Schools
9 Schools
543 Schools
# Students
2,429 Students
222,797 Students
# Teachers
168 Teachers
15,049 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Letcher County School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 171 school districts in Kentucky (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has decreased from 95% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (KY)
#120 out of 172 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
31%
38%
41%
45%
18%
22%
92%
91.4%
(2022-23)
57.4%
28%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.05
0.43
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
n/a
2%
% Hispanic
1%
10%
% Black
1%
8%
% White
97%
75%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
1%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,422 is higher than the state median of $14,273. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,349 is higher than the state median of $14,012. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (KY)
Total Revenue
$42 MM
$9,360 MM
Spending
$40 MM
$9,189 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,422
$14,273
Spending / Student
$16,349
$14,012

Best Letcher County School District Public Preschools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Cowan Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
3125 Hwy 931 S
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 633-7195
Gr: PK-8 | 246 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 3%
Rank: #22.
West Whitesburg Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
330 Park St
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 633-9538
Gr: PK-5 | 462 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 3%
Rank: #33.
Martha Jane Potter Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
55 Kona Dr
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 855-7544
Gr: PK-5 | 273 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 3%

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • District size: 9 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,429 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 3%
  • : 92% (Top 20% in KY)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 31% (Btm 50%)
  • : 41% (Btm 50%)
  • : 18% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), KY Dept. of Education

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