Tallahassee Sun

There were 32 Hispanic students enrolled in FAMU Lab Schools in the 2023-24 school year, 23.1% more than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that FAMU Lab Schools welcomed 569 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 5% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the district.

FAMU Lab Schools roughly covers one school within Leon County, and has a main office in Tallahassee.

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 Hispanic Students	Hispanic %
2023-24	569	32	5%%
2022-23	621	26	4.2%%
2021-22	616	22	3.6%%
2020-21	627	19	3%%
2019-20	600	24	4%%
2018-19	630	19	3%%
2017-18	586	16	2.7%%