SARASOTA

SARASOTA, Florida — 59 schools

45,077
Total Enrollment
59
Schools
$14,758
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

SARASOTA operates 59 public schools serving 45,077 students, placing it among the larger districts in Florida. The school portfolio breaks down into 34 other, 11 middle, 8 high, 6 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 44,832 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Sarasota County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,758 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 77.1% local, 11.5% state, and 11.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $67,203 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 67/100, ranked #11 of 67 in Florida against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 10 of 59 schools offering Advanced Placement (108 AP courses district-wide), a 435.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 25.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 57.5% White, 25.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% African American across the district's schools.

SARASOTA school enrollment varies 2637× across entities

SARASOTA school enrollment ranges from 1 students (lowest) to 2,637 students (highest), a spread of 2,636 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

SARASOTA student-counselor ratio is 436:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

SARASOTA chronic absenteeism rate is 25.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within SARASOTA is typically wider than the SARASOTA-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.3%
Federal
11.5%
State
77.1%
Local

Funding Equity

67
Equity Score
11 / 67
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Sarasota County county, where this district is located.

$1,418
Studio/mo
$1,686
1 BR/mo
$1,958
2 BR/mo
$2,537
3 BR/mo
$3,027
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$67,203
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 59 schools in SARASOTA.

White 57.5%
Hispanic or Latino 25.1%
African American 8.6%
Asian 2.1%
Multiracial 6.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

10 / 59
Schools with AP
108 AP courses total
435.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
25.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in SARASOTA

School Enrollment
Riverview High School
2,637
Venice Senior High School
2,579
North Port High School
2,557
Sarasota High School
2,359
Pine View School
1,752
Booker High School
1,479
Laurel Nokomis School
1,384
Sarasota Middle School
1,290
Imagine School at North Port
Charter
1,228
Woodland Middle School
1,040
Lamarque Elementary School
1,025
Sarasota Military Academy
Charter
997
Ashton Elementary School
964
Heron Creek Middle School
945
Atwater Elementary
892
Tatum Ridge Elementary School
864
Taylor Ranch Elementary School
844
Toledo Blade Elementary School
841
Sarasota Suncoast Academy
Charter
823
Cranberry Elementary School
813
Booker Middle School
811
Glenallen Elementary School
749
Sarasota School of Arts/Sciences
Charter
747
Lakeview Elementary School
741
Venice Middle School
732
Brookside Middle School
724
Fruitville Elementary School
704
Tuttle Elementary School
698
Phillippi Shores Elementary School
696
Southside Elementary School
696
Mcintosh Middle School
693
Gocio Elementary School
654
Venice Elementary School
616
Gulf Gate Elementary School
596
Brentwood Elementary School
590
Englewood Elementary School
564
Suncoast Polytechnical High School
556
Bay Haven School of Basics Plus
547
Garden Elementary School
529
Island Village Montessori School
Charter
527
Dreamers Academy
Charter
519
Alta Vista Elementary School
453
Emma E. Booker Elementary School
451
Imagine School at Palmer Ranch
Charter
433
Wilkinson Elementary School
422
Student Leadership Academy
Charter
328
Sky Academy Englewood
Charter
327
Sky Academy Venice
Charter
293
State College of Fla Collegiate School-Venice
Charter
290
Oak Park School
211
Sarasota Academy of the Arts
Charter
193
Sarasota County Acceleration Academies
106
Sarasota Virtual Instruction Program
103
Suncoast School for Innovative Studies
Charter
96
Triad
77
Children First
24
The Florida Center for Child and Family Development
15
Ese Special Programs
7
Community Haven for Adults and Children With Disabilities I
1

Nearby Districts in Florida

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

MIAMI-DADE
334,090 students · 542 schools · $13,577/pupil
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BROWARD
254,732 students · 329 schools · $13,387/pupil
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HILLSBOROUGH
224,538 students · 309 schools · $11,744/pupil
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ORANGE
207,561 students · 276 schools · $13,040/pupil
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PALM BEACH
188,843 students · 234 schools · $14,596/pupil
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Compare SARASOTA

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs MIAMI-DADE →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in SARASOTA?

SARASOTA has 59 schools, including 8 high, 34 other, 11 middle, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 45,077 students.

How much does SARASOTA spend per student?

SARASOTA spends $14,758 per student. The district has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #11 in Florida.

What is the average teacher salary in SARASOTA?

The average teacher salary in SARASOTA is $67,203 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near SARASOTA?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Sarasota County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of SARASOTA?

SARASOTA students are 57.5% White, 25.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% African American, 2.1% Asian, averaged across 59 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for SARASOTA?

SARASOTA has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #11 out of 67 districts in Florida. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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