Sumter Times

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

Of the 9,598 students attending Sumter County schools, 59.3% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 19% of Sumter County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common ethnicity in Sumter County, representing 59.9% of the student body.

Wildwood Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, including 35.3% white students, 33.6% Black students, 21.9% Hispanic students, 7.1% multiracial students, and 1.7% Asian students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county increased by 2.1% 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
Bushnell Elementary School	White	59.7%	719
Lake Panasoffkee Elementary School	White	73.5%	589
South Sumter High School	White	62.6%	1,058
South Sumter Middle School	White	62%	879
Sumter County Virtual Instruction Program	White	< 10%	< 10
Sumter Prep Academy	White	53.3%	90
Sumter Virtual Franchise	White	< 10%	< 10
Villages Charter School	White	66.9%	3,728
Webster Elementary School	White	61.1%	738
Wildwood Elementary School	White	35.3%	658
Wildwood Middle/ High School	Black	37.5%	737