Enrollment
2,051
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Palmetto, FL
Manatee School for the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Manatee School for the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120123003429Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Manatee School for the Arts earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #9 of 10
- schools in Palmetto · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.7:1
- large classes for Florida
- 49.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Manatee School for the Arts has class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Manatee School for the Arts ranks #9 of 10 schools in Palmetto, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
104.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.7%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Manatee School for the Arts compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Manatee School for the Arts
Manatee School for the Arts is a large charter combined-grade school in Palmetto, Florida, enrolling 2,051 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 49.7% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 96% of state schools at 2,051 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 258 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #162.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and White (39%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 410 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Manatee also operates Lakewood Ranch High School (2,422 students) and Parrish Community High School (2,266 students) alongside Manatee School for the Arts.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Manatee School for the Arts compares
Manatee School for the Arts on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.7:1 | ▲ 11% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.7% | ▼ 4% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,051 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,051
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 75% in Florida - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,900
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 410 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
126
in-school suspensions + 156 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 42.6%
White 39.4%
African American 10.3%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.9, Manatee School for the Arts is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Manatee, which includes Manatee School for the Arts.
$10,900
Per student
-2%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.3%
State 25.8%
Federal 15.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Manatee School for the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Ranch High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parrish Community High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palmetto High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Manatee High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Braden River High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Manatee School for the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,266
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,185
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,998
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,705
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,051 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Manatee School for the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Manatee School for the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Manatee's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Manatee School for the Arts
How many students attend Manatee School for the Arts?
Manatee School for the Arts has 2,051 students enrolled. It is a public school in Palmetto, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Manatee School for the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Manatee School for the Arts is 19.7:1, which is 11% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Manatee School for the Arts?
49.7% of students at Manatee School for the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Manatee School for the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Manatee School for the Arts is Hispanic or Latino at 42.6% of enrollment, in Palmetto, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Manatee School for the Arts?
Manatee School for the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Manatee School for the Arts rank among schools in Palmetto?
By Resource Investment Index, Manatee School for the Arts ranks #9 of 10 schools in Palmetto, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Palmetto on the city page.
Is Manatee School for the Arts a good school?
Manatee School for the Arts earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Manatee?
Besides Manatee School for the Arts, Manatee also operates Lakewood Ranch High School (2,422 students), Parrish Community High School (2,266 students), and Palmetto High School (2,185 students). See the Manatee district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.