Tallahassee Sun

Liberty School District had a decrease in student enrollment during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education. Overall, there was a total of 38 students enrolled in the district in the academic year.

Data reveals that the majority of students welcomed in the 2023-24 school year were African American, representing 60% of the Liberty School District total enrollment.

Additionally, the largest portion of students in the district are enrolled in elementary school grades, making up 44.7% of the total enrollment.

Liberty School District covers seven schools within Liberty County, with its main office in Bristol.

Among the seven schools in Liberty School District, W. R. Tolar K-8 School recorded the highest enrollment of 506 students in the 2023-24 school 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.

School	Total Enrollment
W. R. Tolar K-8 School	506
Liberty County High School	354
Hosford Elementary Junior High School	340
Apalachicola Forest Youth Academy	38
Liberty Early Learning Center	25
Liberty Wilderness Crossroads	15
Liberty Virtual Franchise	10