Nature Coast Times

There were 29 multiracial students enrolled in Dixie County School District in the 2023-24 school year, 63.7% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Dixie County School District welcomed 669 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, multiracial students comprised 4% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the district.

Dixie County School District roughly covers eight schools within Dixie County, and has a main office in Cross 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 multiracial Students	multiracial %
2023-24	669	29	4%%
2022-23	2,090	80	3.8%%
2021-22	2,128	80	3.8%%
2020-21	2,131	81	3.8%%
2019-20	2,234	84	3.8%%
2018-19	2,228	90	4%%
2017-18	2,187	79	3.6%%