Palm Coast Times

There were 12 Black students enrolled in Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in the 2023-24 school year, 86.5% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind welcomed 108 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Black students comprised 11% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the district.

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind roughly covers five schools within St. Johns County, and has a main office in St. Augustine.

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	108	12	11%%
2022-23	497	89	17.9%%
2021-22	494	94	19%%
2020-21	517	97	18.8%%
2019-20	525	97	18.5%%
2018-19	528	101	19.1%%
2017-18	545	106	19.4%%