DeSoto County’s student body primarily comprised of Hispanic students in 2023-24 school year

Hispanic students made up the largest ethnic group enrolled in DeSoto County County school districts during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Of the 4,286 students attending DeSoto County schools, 52.4% were Hispanic. White students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 31.9% of DeSoto County students.

In the previous school year, Hispanic students were also the most common ethnicity in DeSoto County, representing 53.7% of the student body.

Desoto County High School and Desoto Middle School had the most diverse student body in the county, including Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, multiracial, and Alaskan Native or American Indian students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county dropped 6.5% when compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, Florida continues to face a teacher shortage in the 2023-24 school year. Despite some improvements, the state reported nearly 4,800 instructional vacancies at the beginning of the year. According to the Florida Department of Education, core subjects such as English, reading, and math among the areas with the highest demand for teachers.

According to the National Education Association (NEA), Florida ranked 50th in the U.S. for teacher pay in the 2022-23 school year, with salaries lower than they were a decade ago when adjusted for inflation.

Governor DeSantis’s budget for the 2024-25 school year allocates nearly $38 billion for education, with $1.25 billion dedicated to teachers’ salaries and other instructional personnel.