Okeechobee Times

Hendry County School District had a decrease in student enrollment during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education. Overall, there was a total of 602 students enrolled in the district in the academic year.

Data reveals that the majority of students welcomed in the 2023-24 school year were Hispanic, representing 55% of the Hendry County School District total enrollment.

Additionally, the largest portion of students in the district are enrolled in elementary school grades, making up 38.3% of the total enrollment.

Hendry County School District covers 13 schools within Hendry County, with its main office in Labelle.

Among the 13 schools in Hendry County School District, Digital Academy of Florida recorded the highest enrollment of 5,880 students in the 2023-24 school 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	Total Enrollment
Digital Academy of Florida	5,880
Labelle High School	1,415
Clewiston High School	978
Country Oaks Elementary School	908
Labelle Middle School	841
Eastside Elementary School	664
Clewiston Middle School	635
Westside Elementary School	629
Central Elementary School	602
Edward A. Upthegrove Elementary School	525
Labelle Elementary School	452
Montura Early Learning Center	32
County Wide Exceptional Student Education	11