Tallahassee Sun

There were 23 Black students enrolled in Liberty School District in the 2023-24 school year, 76.3% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Liberty School District welcomed 38 students during the 2023-24 school year, all of whom identified as Black.

Liberty School District roughly covers seven schools within Liberty County, and has a main office in Bristol.

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	38	23	60%%
2022-23	1,295	97	7.5%%
2021-22	1,302	118	9.1%%
2020-21	1,273	113	8.9%%
2019-20	1,304	114	8.7%%
2018-19	1,318	118	9%%
2017-18	1,422	141	9.9%%