Tallahassee Sun

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

Of the 4,705 students attending Gadsden County schools, 70.9% were Black. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 23% of Gadsden County students.

In the previous school year, Black students were also the most common ethnicity in Gadsden County, representing 69.2% of the student body.

West Gadsden Middle School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, including 54.5% Black students, 35.3% Hispanic students, and 6.5% white students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county increased by 1.9% 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.

School Name	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Bold Step Infant Care	Black	< 10%	< 10
Carter Parramore Academy	Black	87.3%	55
Chattahoochee Elementary School	Black	81.4%	161
Crossroad Academy	Black	64.9%	536
Gadsden Central Academy	Black	92%	25
Gadsden County High School	Black	71.5%	1,059
Gadsden Elementary Magnet School	Black	78.5%	130
Gadsden Technical College	Black	< 10%	16
Gadsden Virtual Instruction Program	Black	< 10%	< 10
George W. Munroe Elementary School	Black	65.3%	504
Greensboro Elementary School	Black	56.7%	298
Havana Magnet School	Black	78%	558
Head Start Program	Black	83.9%	31
James A. Shanks Middle School	Black	67.1%	526
Stewart Street Elementary School	Black	89%	473
West Gadsden Middle School	Black	54.5%	323