Manatee County Schools

Sarasota, Manatee and Hernando counties will be voting to continue their current property taxes, while Pinellas is looking to double their rate to match them.

The proposed development would provide 132 apartments on nearly five acres of district-owned land for Manatee County school district employees.

The Manatee County school district partners with USF to offer intensive experiences in classrooms for education undergraduates — and it is one of the few programs in Florida to pay interns.

After deputies shut down the first operation last summer, they were left with thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment.

Student enrollment has gradually climbed back up to pre-pandemic levels. But the data shows that more families are choosing to send their kids to charter schools rather than traditional public schools, in line with national trends.

Anna Maria Elementary students are drawn in by Guy Harvey Academy of Arts and Sciences.

As school districts in the area work to fill bus driver vacancies, some are experiencing a greater shortage than usual. Manatee County needs to fill about 20% of its bus driving staff. Like surrounding districts, Manatee officials hope a wage increase will attract more employees.

By state law, books in school libraries must be certified by a media specialist. They must also comply with the Parental Rights in Education Act.

Republican attorneys general of 14 states sought approval to file a brief supporting Florida in a fight about the new law. Democratic attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia filed a brief supporting the bill’s challengers.

The starting pay for teachers increases by $2,367, while the minimum wage for teachers' aides is now $15 an hour.

COVID-19 protocols are somewhat relaxed, including optional masks, but school districts suggest students who are experiencing symptoms should stay home.

Three counties in the greater Tampa Bay region are increasing the cost of breakfast and lunch for students compared to the last time students paid for meals during the 2019-2020 school year.