From student achievement to expansion in programs and capacity, our local school districts can be proud of their many accomplishments.
Sarasota County  

The state of Florida has classified Sarasota as an “A” school district, with 91 percent of the county’s public schools recognized as “A” or “B” schools. Sarasota County students consistently outperform their peers in the state and nation on formal assessments, including college placement tests. SAT scores are an average of 61 points higher than the state average, and 29 points higher than the national average.

Fourth graders in Sarasota County public schools were ranked No. 1 in the state in the writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Third graders ranked fourth among the state’s 67 school districts in reading and sixth in math.

Sarasota County recently installed state-of-the-art ActivBoard instructional technology in all classrooms. The large screens enable teachers to project everything from written notes to computer screens, video clips, interactive exercises, maps and instructional units prepared by master teachers around the world. Hand-held student devices enable teachers to verify learning and see who may need further support.

In a major step for career and technical education, Sarasota County recently approved plans for the North County Technical High School scheduled to open in 2008 on the campus of the Sarasota County Technical Institute. The 67,000-square-foot high school will accommodate 600 students in 16 classrooms, enabling them to attend core classes such as English or math and specialized career and technical classes on the same campus. A second career technical school for south county students is scheduled to open in Venice in 2009.

The career and technical high schools will be the centerpiece of Next Generation career and technical education. In addition, 51 new or redesigned Career-Technical Education labs and career-themed communities at all comprehensive high schools will help students understand the myriad connections between classroom studies and the real world.

The efforts of Sarasota County public schools to achieve relevant reform were recognized by Expansion Management magazine, which rates nearly 3,000 large school districts across the United States for quality of work force. Sarasota County Superintendent Gary Norris received the magazine’s Gold Medal, which is awarded to only 16 percent of the districts evaluated.

Charter, private and faith-based education provides a varied educational climate. Special-needs students have three well-regarded options in the public school system: Pine View School for the Gifted addresses the needs of academically gifted students in grades two through 12, and Oak Park School and Oak Park South provide special education for students with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.

To help the public understand what it takes to run this major “business” of schooling, a Citizens Academy provides an inside look at the school system’s academic and business services. 
Major institutions of higher education have gained national recognition. U.S. News & World Report recognized New College of Florida as the nation’s No. 1 public liberal arts college. The Princeton Review named New College the nation’s best value among public colleges and universities for three of the last four years. 

The University of South Florida is one of the nation’s major public research universities. The Tampa-based institution serves 2,500 students at its new Sarasota-Manatee campus. Manatee Community College meets the needs of local students and adult-learners with campuses in Bradenton and Venice. The private Ringling College of Art and Design attracts talented art students from all over the country.

Medical schools have found a home here as well. The Regional Medical School Campus of Tallahassee-based Florida State University in downtown Sarasota serves third- and fourth-year medical students who receive their clinical training in doctors’ offices, area hospitals and ambulatory care centers with over 200 local physicians serving as physician faculty. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, one of the fastest-growing medical colleges in the country, operates a campus in Bradenton that serves 885 students.

Adults have access to continuing education at the public Sarasota County Technical Institute, the business-based Keiser College, the Eckerd Program for Experienced Learners (which is affiliated with St. Petersburg’s Eckerd College) and the Ringling College of Art and Design’s continuing education division.

Manatee County
The Manatee County school district is moving forward to improve fuel economy while helping the environment. In March 2007, Manatee became the first school district in the nation to incorporate plug-in hybrid electric school buses into its fleet of student transportation vehicles. The hybrid buses provide 70 to 100 percent better fuel economy and a 90 percent reduction in diesel fuel emissions. Newly elected Florida Gov. Charlie Crist recently made a special visit to the district in order to ride on one of the new buses and to help the school district initiate a new child safety campaign.

The new buses are emblematic of the Manatee district’s willingness to be a leader and innovator as more than 43,000 students and 7,000 employees strive daily to adhere to the district’s mission statement: “To inspire our students with a passion for learning, empowered to pursue their dreams confidently and creatively while contributing to our community, nation and world.”
In August 2007, the Manatee district was slated to open three new schools (two elementary schools and one middle school) to accommodate the continued growth of the county’s population.

The district continues to increase teacher salaries in order to attract highly qualified instructors who can help accomplish the goals of the district’s comprehensive strategic plan, known as EdVantage. Developed by district and community leaders, EdVantage is a long-range plan designed to redefine and redirect the district’s educational future to better meet the needs of the 21st Century Learner.

Charlotte County 
Three years ago Hurricane Charley seriously damaged or destroyed six older facilities in the Charlotte County school district. They are currently being rebuilt to meet new hurricane construction standards, and some of the schools that escaped damage are also being hardened to meet stronger standards. The district has made progress with three elementary schools, along with a middle school and the Head Start Center, now headed towards completion. 

Meanwhile, Charlotte students again continued to make academic gains in all areas. The school district has ranked among the state’s Top 10 again, with all of the schools earning a letter grade of either A or B from the state. 

Charlotte County school district educates more than 17,500 pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students. It also offers adult education, literacy training and citizenship and ESOL classes. A new medical training component is being added to the Charlotte County Technical Center in order to meet the demands of the medical profession in the community.