Emerald Coast Times

white students made up the largest ethnic group enrolled in Okaloosa County County school districts during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Of the 32,426 students attending Okaloosa County schools, 61.9% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 15.2% of Okaloosa County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common ethnicity in Okaloosa County, representing 64.4% of the student body.

Mary Esther Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, including 40.5% white students, 25.7% Hispanic students, 18.5% Black students, and 13.3% multiracial students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county dropped 0.9% when compared to the previous 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 Name	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Addie R. Lewis School	White	61.7%	677
Adjudicated Youth Facility	Black	< 10%	< 10
Annette P. Edwins Elementary School	White	45.7%	464
Antioch Elementary School	White	57.5%	965
Baker School	White	89.7%	1,461
Bluewater Elementary School	White	80.9%	914
Bob Sikes Elementary School	White	67%	813
C. W. Ruckel Middle School	White	76.5%	1,054
Choctawhatchee Senior High School	White	54.4%	1,701
Clifford Meigs Middle School	White	64.5%	558
Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College	White	66.2%	423
Crestview High School	White	60.9%	2,397
Crestview Youth Academy	Black	< 10%	11
Crestview Youth Academy (Non Secure)	Black	100%	23
Davidson Middle School	White	70.5%	1,154
Destin Elementary School	White	66.1%	933
Destin High School	White	76.5%	557
Destin Middle School	White	71%	851
Eglin Elementary School	White	43.4%	429
Elliott Point Elementary School	White	45.8%	598
Emerald Coast Career Institute N	White	56.7%	30
Florosa Elementary School	White	51%	531
Fort Walton Beach High School	White	53.5%	1,558
James E. Plew Elementary School	White	76.2%	820
Kenwood Elementary School	White	52.6%	525
Laurel Hill School	White	77.3%	463
Liza Jackson Preparatory School	White	69.3%	977
Longwood Elementary School	Hispanic	44.1%	574
Lula J. Edge Elementary School	White	71.5%	543
Mary Esther Elementary School	White	40.5%	444
Max Bruner Junior Middle School	White	42.8%	739
Niceville Senior High School	White	76.1%	1,998
Northwest Florida Ballet Academie	White	70.8%	137
Northwood Elementary School	White	60.7%	840
Okaloosa Academy	White	40.8%	157
Okaloosa Online Non Franchised	White	64.7%	589
Okaloosa Regional Detention	White	54.6%	33
Okaloosa Stemm Center	White	66%	359
Okaloosa Technical College	White	67.4%	43
Okaloosa Virtual Instruction Program	White	< 10%	< 10
Okaloosa Youth Academy	White	51.3%	39
Richbourg School	White	70.6%	68
Riverside Elementary School	White	54.1%	991
Shalimar Elementary School	White	54.5%	589
Shoal River Middle School	White	53.2%	895
Silver Sands-Excep. Children	White	55.7%	106
Southside Primary School	White	60.7%	267
W. C. Pryor Middle School	Hispanic	40.2%	679
Walker Elementary School	White	65.2%	848
Wright Elementary School	Hispanic	47.1%	590