Sarasota
County School District
Mission Statement:
"To
prepare students to achieve the highest learning standards by engaging
a high quality staff, involved parents and supportive community. It is
our vision that all students will lead productive, responsible and healthful
lives as they enter the next millenium."
In a recent
national survey, Expansion Management Magazine rate the Sarasota
County Public School System the finest in the state. This was according
to a variety of indicators that are important to business and industry.
Sarasota
outranked the other districts by a large margin in excellence in excellence
in education, and the quantity and quality of graduating students. Not
only do we have a higher percentage of graduates, but our seniors score
well above the national average in the College Board exams.
Area
Public Schools:
The Sarasota
County school system has a total enrollment of more than 31,000 students
and consists of 21 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 5 high schools.
The schools provide a wide variety of programs for gifted and differently-abled
students, vocational education and several innovative school-wide programs
which allow for an interdisciplinary approach to learning.
Local
students continue to outperform others statewide and nationwide on the
SAT, ACT, GTAT and other nationally normed tests. A variety of recognition
programs honor students for their superior achievements, including the
Renaissance Program for those with a 3.0 or higher grade point average,
and the Disney “Dreamers and Doers” Program, which salutes students who
demonstrate curiosity, confidence, courage and consistency.
The school
system also has a nationally recognized Visual and Performing Arts Program,
and offers a variety of programs for exceptional students, including gifted
services from resource to self-contained. All county public schools offer
a gifted program as part of the curriculum. You must be a resident of the
county to enroll your child in a gifted program. Contact the individual
school for more information. The self-containd schools for gifted students
have been functioning well for 28 years. Programs within the school system
serve medically fragile and mentally/emotionally challenged students. There
is also a magnet K-5 school and a school for teen parents.
Testing
Programs:Kindergarten Readiness Screening:During
their first three weeks of school, kindergarteners will be screened for
physical, health, social, behavioral and academic development.
Stanford
Achievement Test: During April, students in grades 2-9 will take
the Stanford Achievement Test to evaluate performance.
Writing
Assessment Test:Florida
Writes is conducted in grades 4, 8 and 10. Students will be asked to produce
an essay on a specific topic.
High
School Competency Test:The
High School Competency Test is a requirement for High School graduation.
This test measures achievement of basic and higher order thinking skills
in communication and mathematics.
Scholastic
Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Testing Program (ACT):
The SAT and ACT tests are given to college-bound students. Schedules for
the test dates are available through high school counseling offices.
Florida
Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT):The FCAT is given in grades
4,8 and 10. Students are asked to respond to multiple choice test questions
as well as short and extended response performance tasks. This test is
based on the new Florida Sunshine State Standards.
For
further information, contact the Sarasota County School Board at (941)
927-8811.
