Manatee Review

Hardee County School District's eighth-grade had the highest student enrollment per grade in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Overall, there were 406 students enrolled in district’s eighth-grade in the 2023-24 school year, making up 8.6% of the student body in the district.

The number of students in the eighth-grade grew by 8.3% compared to the year before.

Hardee County School District also had a high enrollment for the fourth-grade, the second highest recorded in the district.

Within the district, Hardee Junior High School had the most eighth-grade students in the 2023-24 school year. Hardee Virtual Franchise had the fewest.

Data showed that Hardee County School District enrolled a total of 4,725 students in the 2023-24 school year, the 24th lowest enrollment in Florida.

It was also ranked 24th lowest in the year before.

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.

Schools	Number of Students
Bowling Green Elementary School	291
Hardee Junior High School	1,089
Hardee Senior High School	1,335
Hardee Virtual Franchise	35
Hilltop Elementary School	264
North Wauchula Elementary School	545
Pioneer Career Academy	44
Wauchula Elementary School	572
Zolfo Springs Elementary School	550
Total Hardee County School District	4,725