South Lake Today

There were 7,777 Black students enrolled in Lake County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 3% increase from the 7,551 Black students in the previous school year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Lake County welcomed a total of 48,222 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Black students comprised 16.1% of the student body to be the third most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 58 schools in Lake County, Leesburg High School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 562 students, making up 31.7% of the school's total student body.

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.

A 2024 WalletHub study ranked Florida 49th in the nation for teacher salaries when adjusted for cost of living, making it one of the lowest in the U.S.

School name	% of Black Students Enrolment	Total Enrollment
East Ridge High School	16%	2,757
Lake Minneola High School	15.1%	2,281
South Lake High School	16.1%	2,189
Leesburg High School	31.7%	1,774
Minneola Conversion Charter School	7%	1,735
Tavares High School	18.1%	1,488
Mt. Dora High School	12%	1,412
Eustis High School	20.4%	1,405
Grassy Lake Elementary School	11.2%	1,335
Aurelia Cole Academy	22.1%	1,333
Round Lake Elementary School	4.8%	1,177
East Ridge Middle School	12.3%	1,094
Windy Hill Middle School	14%	1,091
Gray Middle School	16.7%	1,067
Lake Pointe Academy	14.3%	1,066
Imagine Schools at South Lake	7.4%	1,061
Lost Lake Elementary School	11.9%	1,060
Pinecrest Lakes Academy	9%	1,055
Tavares Middle School	18.5%	998
Pinecrest Academy Tavares	14.7%	918
Umatilla High School	4.7%	915
Treadway Elementary School	14.1%	893
Sorrento Elementary School	7.5%	872
Leesburg Elementary School	31.5%	871
Mascotte Elementary School	12.1%	850
Tavares Elementary School	26.1%	839
Eustis Middle School	22.7%	798
Mt. Dora Middle School	15.6%	793
Sawgrass Bay Elementary School	15.8%	771
The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake School	16.4%	762
Groveland Elementary School	26.4%	735
Pine Ridge Elementary School	7.5%	733
Triangle Elementary School	25.3%	728
Carver Middle School	30.1%	724
Fruitland Park Elementary School	25.3%	707
Eustis Heights Elementary School	31.9%	700
Umatilla Elementary School	5.3%	682
Astatula Elementary School	6.1%	639
Beverly Shores Elementary School	49.4%	616
Umatilla Middle School	3.6%	610
Cypress Ridge Elementary School	7.4%	580
Oak Park Middle School	38.4%	558
Pinecrest Academy Four Corners	7.2%	513
Eustis Elementary School	27.9%	391
Lake Virtual Franchise	9%	311
Pinecrest Lakes Middle/High Academy	7.5%	268
Rimes Early Learning & Literacy Center	40.7%	248
Lake Hills School	19.1%	215
Alee Academy Charter School	29.4%	177
Lake Success Academy	44.4%	27