Manatee County Schools

The Manatee County School District has rolled out new mandatory training on boundaries, sexual harassment and abuse prevention and launched an audit of its hiring practices after a joint investigation by Suncoast Searchlight and the Bradenton Herald into repeated cases of staff misconduct toward students.

An analysis of data shows teacher vacancies across the state have declined recently, but gaps remain — and limitations in the data make it difficult to compare districts or identify where shortages are most acute and how they are affecting students and classrooms.

Over the past two years, Manatee County schools have been rocked by a string of teacher-misconduct cases. A joint investigation by Suncoast Searchlight and the Bradenton Herald found that red flags in applications were overlooked.

Academica, which operates charters, says on its website that it plans to open only a "handful" of schools in 2027-28 and will rescind notices for other locations after it determines those co-locations.

Vacancies remain, but most local districts are beginning this school year ahead, with solid progress in both teaching and transportation staff.

Pinellas and Sarasota counties earned A’s, while Polk was the only district to improve its grade. Factors used to determine grades include state testing in English, math, science and social studies and grad rates.

The state teachers' union president says "constantly" changing tests may be leading to failing scores at the national level. "We've got to look a little broader than just the state assessments," he says.

Jason Wysong negotiated an exit package through his lawyer when he learned, ahead of Tuesday's meeting, that board sentiment had turned against him.

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.