Tallahassee Sun

There were 962 Black students enrolled in Leon County Schools District in the 2023-24 school year, 92.9% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Leon County Schools District welcomed one students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Black students comprised 68% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the district.

Leon County Schools District roughly covers 49 schools within Leon County, and has a main office in Tallahassee.

Among the 49 schools in Leon County Schools District, James Rickards High School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 1,128 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	962	68%%
2022-23	32,212	13,559	42.1%%
2021-22	32,562	13,829	42.5%%
2020-21	32,845	14,243	43.4%%
2019-20	33,847	14,733	43.5%%
2018-19	33,978	14,851	43.7%%
2017-18	34,268	14,934	43.6%%