SARASOTA

SARASOTA is a mid-sized urban district located in Sarasota County, Florida, serving 45,077 students across 62 schools. The district experienced a 2.7% enrollment increase in the prior year, suggesting relative stability with modest growth. With 2,942 teachers, the student-teacher ratio of 15.3:1 is standard for Florida districts.

The district demonstrates academic performance above state benchmarks. Math proficiency reaches 68.0% compared to the state average of 55.3%, while reading proficiency stands at 64.0% versus 52.6% statewide. The graduation rate of 90.0% exceeds Florida's 86.0% average by four percentage points.

Student demographics reflect modest diversity: the population is 58.5% White, 24.8% Hispanic, 7.0% Black, and 2.9% Asian. Economically disadvantaged students comprise 44.3% of enrollment, while 9.4% are English learners and 16.6% receive special education services.

Financially, Sarasota operates with per-pupil spending of $15,063, approximately $2,600 above the state average of $12,465. The total annual budget of $642.2 million is primarily supported by local revenue (79.1%), with state contributions at 12.0% and federal funding at 8.9%. This revenue structure indicates substantial reliance on local property tax resources for district operations.