Panama City Reporter

There were 35 Asian students enrolled in Bay District Schools in the 2023-24 school year, 92.8% 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, Asian students comprised 1% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the district.

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

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 Asian Students	Asian %
2023-24	1	35	1%%
2022-23	27,324	483	1.8%%
2021-22	26,199	487	1.9%%
2020-21	25,280	481	1.9%%
2019-20	25,109	496	2%%
2018-19	28,129	538	1.9%%
2017-18	28,076	569	2%%