As families flee coal country, schools struggle

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia public school districts are grappling with declining enrollments as the area loses population amid the declining coal industry.

Eastern Kentucky’s public school districts have lost more than 12,000 students since the 1999-2000 school year, which state officials say is the result of the region’s economic troubles amid a declining coal industry. West Virginia has lost 26 percent of its public school student population since 1979.