Panama City Reporter

There were 194 Hispanic students enrolled in Bay District Schools in the 2023-24 school year, 94.6% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Bay District Schools welcomed one students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 10% of the student body to be the second most represented ethnicity in the district.

Bay District Schools roughly covers 48 schools within Bay County, and has a main office in Panama City.

Among the 48 schools in Bay District Schools, Rutherford High School recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 274 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	1	194	10%%
2022-23	27,324	3,578	13.1%%
2021-22	26,199	3,069	11.7%%
2020-21	25,280	2,799	11.1%%
2019-20	25,109	2,533	10.1%%
2018-19	28,129	2,438	8.7%%
2017-18	28,076	2,254	8%%