Manatee Review

Hardee 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 one 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 63% of the Hardee County School District total enrollment.

Additionally, the largest portion of students in the district are enrolled in elementary school grades, making up 46% of the total enrollment.

Hardee County School District covers nine schools within Hardee County, with its main office in Wauchula.

Among the nine schools in Hardee County School District, Hardee Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of 1,335 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
Hardee Senior High School	1,335
Hardee Junior High School	1,089
Wauchula Elementary School	572
Zolfo Springs Elementary School	550
North Wauchula Elementary School	545
Bowling Green Elementary School	291
Hilltop Elementary School	264
Pioneer Career Academy	44
Hardee Virtual Franchise	35