Highlands County
Highlands County is a public school district based in Sebring, Florida, serving 12,040 students in 24 schools. By enrollment it ranks #37 of the 66 Florida districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 45% of them. Its schools average 502 students each, fewer than the Florida median of 572. Its superintendent is Brenda Longshore. It spends about $10,202 per student on day-to-day operations, about the state median. It has roughly 18.4 students per teacher.
How Highlands County compares
Spending and staffing
| Measure | Highlands County | Florida median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $10,202 | $10,483 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $5,721 | $5,885 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $133.6 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $138.7 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 654 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 1,593 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 18.4 | 17.4 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 634 | 428 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The Florida median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Brenda Longshore
Source: Florida Department of Education, Superintendents, checked 2026-10-04. Report a change
In the news
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Peer districts in Florida
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hendry CountyLabelle | 13,698 | 16 | $6,280 | 39.7 | #34 |
| Flagler CountyBunnell | 13,521 | 13 | $9,108 | 17.7 | #35 |
| Nassau CountyFernandina Beach | 12,575 | 22 | $9,539 | 15.6 | #36 |
| Highlands CountySebring · this district | 12,040 | 24 | $10,202 | 18.4 | #37 |
| Walton CountyDefuniak Springs | 12,007 | 21 | $10,970 | 14.8 | #38 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Dieguito Union HighEncinitas, CA | 12,055 | $12,624 | 24.1 |
| West Chester Area School DistrictExton, PA | 12,042 | $16,327 | 12.7 |
| Oldham CountyBuckner, KY | 12,038 | $10,894 | 16.8 |
| Lakeville Area SchoolsLakeville, MN | 12,025 | $13,697 | 16.9 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-fl-highlands-county