There were 1,915 students enrolled in Gulf County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 0.7% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.
Data showed that white students made up 76.8% of the student body, the largest percentage in Gulf County schools, followed by 10% of Black students, 6.2% of multiracial students and 5.2% of Hispanic students.
Port St. Joe High School registered the highest enrollment among Gulf County’s five schools at the time, welcoming 515 students.
As of the 2024-25 school year, Florida had a total of 4,471 public schools serving over 2.8 million students across the state.
As of 2025, Florida has an average student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 18:1, which is significantly worse than the national average of 15:1. The state’s worst ratios are found in high schools, with an average ratio of 21:1.
Gov. DeSantis has approved an education budget of over $28 billion for the 2024-25 school year. The new budget includes more than $1 billion earmarked exclusively for teacher salaries to better address the teacher shortage the state faces.
According to the National Education Association (NEA), Florida ranks 50th in the U.S. in terms of teacher salaries, only ahead of West Virginia.
| School name | Total Enrollment in 2022-23 | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Joe High School | 512 | 515 | 0.6% |
| Port St. Joe Elementary School | 534 | 512 | -4.1% |
| Wewahitchka Elementary School | 504 | 488 | -3.2% |
| Wewahitchka High School | 363 | 381 | 5% |
| PreK Ese | 15 | 19 | 26.7% |
