Public schools in Sarasota, FL
45 open public schools with an address in Sarasota, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
45
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
25,008
44 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.3:1
Florida median 16.8:1
Charter schools
7
7 magnet · 2 virtual
An overview of Sarasota public schools
The federal directory lists 45 public schools in Sarasota, FL: 22 elementary, 5 middle, 8 high, 10 combined or other. The 44 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 25,008 students, an average of 568 per school. The largest campus is Riverview High School (2,637 students), and the largest elementary school is Ashton Elementary School (964).
Sarasota operates the most schools here (41), and 2 regular districts have at least one Sarasota campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 14.3:1, lower than the statewide school median of 16.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 7 charter schools, 7 magnet schools, 2 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 11 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 7 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 11 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 47% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Sarasota
Elementary schools in Sarasota
22Middle schools in Sarasota
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booker Middle School Sarasota · Magnet | 06–08 | 811 | 13.3:1 | |
| Brookside Middle School Sarasota · Magnet | 06–08 | 724 | 15.1:1 | |
| McIntosh Middle School Sarasota | 06–08 | 693 | 16.1:1 | |
| Sarasota Middle School Sarasota | 06–08 | 1,290 | 17.4:1 | |
| Sarasota School of Arts/Sciences Sarasota · Charter | 06–08 | 747 | 18.7:1 |
High schools in Sarasota
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booker High School Sarasota · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,479 | 18.5:1 | |
| Riverview High School Sarasota · Magnet | 09–12 | 2,637 | 19.7:1 | |
| Sarasota County Acceleration Academies Sarasota · Alternative School | 09–12 | 106 | 53:1 | |
| Sarasota High School Sarasota | 09–12 | 2,359 | 19.5:1 | |
| Sarasota Military Academy Sarasota · Charter | 06–12 | 997 | 14.9:1 | |
| Suncoast Polytechnical High School Sarasota · Magnet | 09–12 | 556 | 19.2:1 | |
| Suncoast Technical College Sarasota · Career and Technical School | 12–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Triad Sarasota · Alternative School | 06–12 | 77 | 7.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Sarasota
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children First Sarasota · Special Education School | PK–PK | 24 | 3:1 | |
| Community Haven for Adults and Children With Disabilities Sarasota · Special Education School | PK–PK | 1 | 0.3:1 | |
| Easter Seals Manatee · Special Education School | PK–12 | 12 | 1.3:1 | |
| Easter Seals Southwest Florida Inc Dba the Lily School for Sarasota · Special Education School | PK–PK | 0 | — | |
| Ese Special Programs Sarasota · Special Education School | PK–12 | 0 | — | |
| Oak Park School Sarasota · Special Education School | KG–12 | 211 | 4.7:1 | |
| Sarasota Virtual Academy (Virtual Franchise) Sarasota · Virtual | KG–12 | 12 | 2.9:1 | |
| Sarasota Virtual Instruction Program Sarasota · Virtual | KG–12 | 103 | — | |
| Selby Preschool Manatee · Special Education School | PK–PK | 7 | 1.4:1 | |
| The Florida Center for Child and Family Development Sarasota · Special Education School | PK–PK | 15 | 1.7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White49.6%
- Hispanic32.8%
- Black9.3%
- Asian2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial6%
Enrollment-weighted across 41 Sarasota schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (25,008 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Sarasota
How many public schools are in Sarasota, FL?
The current NCES directory lists 45 open public schools with a location address in Sarasota: 22 elementary, 5 middle, 8 high, 10 combined or other. Together they reported 25,008 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Sarasota?
Schools with an address in Sarasota belong to 2 education agencies, led by Sarasota (41 schools), Manatee (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Sarasota?
Riverview High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Sarasota, with 2,637 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Sarasota?
Yes. 7 of the 45 public schools in Sarasota are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Dreamers Academy, Imagine School at Palmer Ranch, Innovation Academy Srq. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Sarasota schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Sarasota public schools is 14.3:1, lower than the Florida school median of 16.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Sarasota guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Florida cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Florida cities