There were 130 Black students enrolled in School District of DeSoto County in the 2023-24 school year, 75.1% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.
Data showed that School District of DeSoto County welcomed one students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Black students comprised 10% of the student body to be the second least represented ethnicity in the district.
School District of DeSoto County roughly covers 10 schools within DeSoto County, and has a main office in Arcadia.
Among the 10 schools in School District of DeSoto County, Desoto Middle School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 140 students.
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.
| School Year | Total District Enrollment | Total Black Students | Black % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 1 | 130 | 10%% |
| 2022-23 | 4,582 | 523 | 11.4%% |
| 2021-22 | 4,568 | 522 | 11.4%% |
| 2020-21 | 4,614 | 517 | 11.2%% |
| 2019-20 | 4,943 | 546 | 11%% |
| 2018-19 | 4,926 | 583 | 11.8%% |
| 2017-18 | 4,838 | 565 | 11.7%% |
