Palm Coast Times

There were 29 Hispanic students enrolled in Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in the 2023-24 school year, 77.5% 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, Hispanic students comprised 26% of the student body to be the second most 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.

Among the five schools in Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, Deaf High School (FSDB) recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 52 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 Hispanic Students	Hispanic %
2023-24	108	29	26%%
2022-23	497	129	26%%
2021-22	494	131	26.5%%
2020-21	517	133	25.7%%
2019-20	525	137	26.1%%
2018-19	528	132	25%%
2017-18	545	138	25.3%%