Emerald Coast Times

Walton 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 124 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 67% of the Walton County School District total enrollment.

Additionally, the largest portion of students in the district are enrolled in elementary school grades, making up 45.1% of the total enrollment.

Walton County School District covers 19 schools within Walton County, with its main office in Defuniak Springs.

Among the 19 schools in Walton County School District, Freeport Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of 1,161 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
Freeport Elementary School	1,161
South Walton High School	1,112
Van R. Butler Elementary School	950
Dune Lakes Elementary School	919
Walton High School	898
Emerald Coast Middle School	872
Paxton School	795
Walton Middle School	775
West Defuniak Elementary School	699
Freeport Middle School	678
Freeport Senior High School	677
Maude Saunders Elementary School	561
Mossy Head School	504
Seaside Neighborhood School	440
Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise)	247
Bay School	124
Walton Learning Center	34
Walton Virtual Franchise	21
Walton Virtual School Wcsd	0