Nature Coast Times

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

Of the 15,889 students attending Citrus County schools, 76.1% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 11.5% of Citrus County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common ethnicity in Citrus County, representing 77.6% of the student body.

Camp E-Nini Hassee had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, including 61.9% white students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county dropped 0.4% 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
Academy of Environmental Science	White	88.7%	115
Camp E-Nini Hassee	White	61.9%	21
Central Ridge Elementary School	White	72.3%	764
Citrus Eschool K-5	White	73.2%	71
Citrus High School	White	80.2%	1,486
Citrus Springs Elementary School	White	70.1%	856
Citrus Springs Middle School	White	69.9%	793
Crest School	White	72.5%	109
Crystal River High School	White	79.7%	1,312
Crystal River Middle School	White	79%	911
Crystal River Primary School	White	78%	667
Cypress Creek Treatment Center	Black	82.5%	63
Floral City Elementary School	White	80.2%	384
Forest Ridge Elementary School	White	64.6%	698
Hernando Elementary School	White	74.5%	785
Homosassa Elementary School	White	86.1%	387
Inverness Middle School	White	80%	1,007
Inverness Primary School	White	78.4%	698
Lecanto High School	White	73.1%	1,763
Lecanto Middle School	White	77.9%	797
Lecanto Primary School	White	78.9%	811
Pace Center for Girls	White	69.6%	23
Pleasant Grove Elementary School	White	78.5%	633
Rock Crusher Elementary School	White	76.1%	645
Srmi @ Renaissance Center	White	77.8%	90