There were 11,966 students enrolled in Highlands County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 1.8% less than the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Education.
Data showed that white students made up 38.5% of the student body, the largest percentage in Highlands County schools, followed by 38.3% of Hispanic students, 16.7% of Black students and 4.4% of multiracial students.
Sebring High School registered the highest enrollment among Highlands County’s 21 schools at the time, welcoming 1,901 students.
As of the 2024-25 school year, Florida had a total of 4,471 public schools serving over 2.8 million students across the state.
As of 2025, Florida has an average student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 18:1, which is significantly worse than the national average of 15:1. The state’s worst ratios are found in high schools, with an average ratio of 21:1.
Gov. DeSantis has approved an education budget of over $28 billion for the 2024-25 school year. The new budget includes more than $1 billion earmarked exclusively for teacher salaries to better address the teacher shortage the state faces.
According to the National Education Association (NEA), Florida ranks 50th in the U.S. in terms of teacher salaries, only ahead of West Virginia.
| School name | Total Enrollment in 2022-23 | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sebring High School | 1,809 | 1,901 | 5.1% |
| Avon Park High School | 928 | 946 | 1.9% |
| Lake Placid High School | 868 | 829 | -4.5% |
| Sebring Middle School | 815 | 787 | -3.4% |
| Woodlawn Elementary School | 794 | 777 | -2.1% |
| Cracker Trail Elementary School | 692 | 736 | 6.4% |
| Hill-Gustat Middle School | 705 | 631 | -10.5% |
| Lake Country Elementary School | 685 | 628 | -8.3% |
| Avon Park Middle School | 638 | 602 | -5.6% |
| Lake Placid Middle School | 621 | 598 | -3.7% |
| Sun ‘n Lake Elementary School | 618 | 590 | -4.5% |
| Fred Wild Elementary School | 563 | 577 | 2.5% |
| Avon Elementary School | 523 | 553 | 5.7% |
| Lake Placid Elementary School | 594 | 548 | -7.7% |
| Park Elementary School | 527 | 521 | -1.1% |
| Memorial Elementary School | 532 | 508 | -4.5% |
| Highlands Virtual School | 168 | 133 | -20.8% |
| The Academy at Youth Care Lane | 60 | 70 | 16.7% |
| Highlands County Hospital/Homebound Program | 28 | 21 | -25% |
| Non-Enrolled PK Exceptional Ed Program | 12 | 10 | -16.7% |
| Highlands County Schools Jail Program | 0 | 0 | – |