Panama City Reporter

Gulf County School District had a decrease in student enrollment during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education. Overall, there was a total of 512 students enrolled in the district in the academic year.

Data reveals that the majority of students welcomed in the 2023-24 school year were white, representing 69% of the Gulf County School District total enrollment.

Additionally, the largest portion of students in the district are enrolled in elementary school grades, making up 42% of the total enrollment.

Gulf County School District covers five schools within Gulf County, with its main office in Port St. Joe.

Among the five schools in Gulf County School District, Port St. Joe High School recorded the highest enrollment of 515 students in the 2023-24 school 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	Total Enrollment
Port St. Joe High School	515
Port St. Joe Elementary School	512
Wewahitchka Elementary School	488
Wewahitchka High School	381
PreK Ese	15