Palm Coast Times

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

Of the 10,178 students attending Putnam County schools, 51.3% were white. Black students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 22.9% of Putnam County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common ethnicity in Putnam County, representing 52.3% of the student body.

Crescent City Junior-Senior High School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, including 50.3% Hispanic students, 30.9% white students, 13% Black students, and 5.1% multiracial students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county dropped 1.1% 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
Browning-Pearce Elementary School	White	58.7%	664
Crescent City Junior-Senior High School	Hispanic	50.3%	994
Interlachen Junior-Senior High School	White	66.1%	1,068
James A. Long Elementary School	White	54.1%	542
Kelley Smith Elementary School	White	55.5%	752
Mellon Learning Center	White	50.2%	291
Melrose Elementary School	White	72.6%	368
Middleton-Burney Elementary School	Hispanic	57.2%	1,053
Ochwilla Elementary School	White	56.1%	399
Palatka Jr. - Senior High School	White	49.8%	1,606
Putnam Academy of Arts and Sciences	Black	51.3%	195
Putnam Virtual Franchise	White	67.6%	37
Q. I. Roberts Jr. - Senior High School	White	65.9%	495
Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Elementary School	White	74.1%	869
The Children's Reading Center	White	60.4%	260
William D. Moseley Elementary School	Black	55.4%	585