Public schools in Whitesburg, KY
7 open public schools with an address in Whitesburg, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
7
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
1,866
7 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.3:1
Kentucky median 15:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Whitesburg public schools
The federal directory lists 7 public schools in Whitesburg, KY: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high. The 7 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 1,866 students, an average of 267 per school. The largest campus is Letcher County Central High School (692 students), and the largest elementary school is West Whitesburg Elementary School (462).
Letcher County operates the most schools here (6), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 14.3:1, similar to the statewide school median of 15:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
About 67% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Whitesburg
Elementary schools in Whitesburg
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowan Elementary School Letcher County | PK–08 | 246 | 14.7:1 | |
| Martha Jane Potter Elementary School Letcher County | PK–05 | 273 | 13.9:1 | |
| West Whitesburg Elementary School Letcher County | PK–05 | 462 | 13.8:1 |
Middle schools in Whitesburg
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitesburg Middle School Letcher County | 06–08 | 191 | 17.2:1 |
High schools in Whitesburg
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letcher County Alternative Education Ctr Letcher County · Alternative School | 08–12 | 2 | 0.7:1 | |
| Letcher County Area Technology Center Kentucky Tech System · Career and Technical School | 08–12 | 0 | — | |
| Letcher County Central High School Letcher County | 09–12 | 692 | 15.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White97.1%
- Hispanic0.8%
- Black0.6%
- Asian0.2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial1.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 6 Whitesburg schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (1,866 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Whitesburg
How many public schools are in Whitesburg, KY?
The current NCES directory lists 7 open public schools with a location address in Whitesburg: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high. Together they reported 1,866 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Whitesburg?
Schools with an address in Whitesburg belong to 2 education agencies, led by Letcher County (6 schools), Kentucky Tech System (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Whitesburg?
Letcher County Central High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Whitesburg, with 692 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Whitesburg?
No school with an address in Whitesburg is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Kentucky.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Whitesburg schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Whitesburg public schools is 14.3:1, similar to the Kentucky school median of 15:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Whitesburg guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Kentucky cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Kentucky cities