How a controversial Florida law is shaping Manatee’s plans for new high school
A controversial new Florida law is driving the School District of Manatee County’s plans to open its newest high school in phases starting in 2027.
While part of the reason for the phased opening and construction is to coincide with the district’s rezoning process, district officials have also pointed to the new “Schools of Hope” legislation as a reason for the phased timetable.
Mike Pendley, an executive planner with the district, said it will be more expensive for the district to build some of the classroom buildings later, rather than all at once, but the district is doing so to avoid having unused space that could be taken over by charter schools.
The Schools of Hope law went into effect on Tuesday and allows charter school companies to take over space in school facilities that are underused or underperforming.
The charter schools can use those facilities as “co-location” sites, meaning the charter schools will be able to use the space but the school district would be forced to provide utilities, busing, custodial services and meals for charter school students.
Manatee school officials hope to avoid charter takeover
At last week’s Manatee County commission meeting, commissioners approved the site plan for “AAA High School” by a 4-3 vote, citing traffic and safety concerns as the reasons behind the nays.
The new high school will be the district’s second in Lakewood Ranch, and will be a 300,000-square-foot campus adjacent to Lorraine Road near the Premier Sports Campus.
The school district plans to open the campus for ninth and 10th grade students for the 2027 school year. Then, those students will progress through the grades so that, by 2029, the school is fully-operational to all four grade levels.
Pendley told commissioners one reason they are having a phased opening is to prevent the space being taken over by charter schools.
“It will be more expensive to build the two remaining buildings later, but there’s new legislation, the Schools of Hope legislation ... now it’s for any school that has unused space ... it’s imperative that we don’t get ahead of ourselves,” Pendley said. “We almost have to get in a situation where the school’s overcapacity before we can add on more.”
The School District of Manatee County received two notices in October from a Miami-based charter school company that identified two district facilities as possible co-location sites.
School Board member Charlie Kennedy said he knew of internal conversations about how the district could strategize in response to Schools of Hope, but was not directly involved in those conversations surrounding the new high school.
However, he understands the need to open the nearly $200 million school in phases to avoid a takeover from the Schools of Hope legislation.
“The Schools of Hope (legislation) is constantly hanging over our heads,” Kennedy said.
Rezoning also a reason behind phased approach
Jamie Carson, a spokesperson for the district, said another reason for the phased opening is the rezoning process. The school district is in the middle of finalizing new attendance zones to start next school year, meaning some students’ schools may change.
However, the new high school zones will not go into effect until the 2027 school year to coincide with the opening of the AAA High School.
Carson said the district was also cognizant of the Schools of Hope legislation throughout the rezoning process when thinking about capacity changes at the schools.
Charter schools already eyeing Manatee schools
In October, the School District of Manatee County received two letters from Miami-based charter school company Mater Academy Inc., which identified two facilities — Lincoln Memorial Middle School and the Sara Scott Harllee Center — as potential “co-location” sites.
School board members had mixed opinions about the letters at the Oct. 10 workshop.
“Our own homegrown charter schools have worked their butts off to be in this district,” School Board Member Heather Felton said at the workshop. “And these companies can sweep in here, moving in without having to pay for almost anything…this is on our dime.”
Other board members and district personnel said they were not as concerned by the letters, including Board Chairman Chad Choate III.
“I think we’re early in the stages here,” he said at the workshop. “I think, personally, this was a fishing expedition with these letters.”
District administrators said they were prepared to handle any letters that they received from charter school companies, and insisted the October letters from Mater Academy Inc. were premature, since the statute didn’t become effective until this month.
“On our end, we will focus on making sure we respond to any valid letter that comes in, noting the wonderful programs that we have on our campus that maybe aren’t noted,” Superintendent Laurie Breslin said at the workshop. “I feel confident that we’re ready to respond as a district. I don’t want it to be construed as an emergency for Manatee County.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2025 at 5:50 AM.
