Best Schools in Bradenton, Florida
72 schools · 30 Elementary · 9 Middle · 11 High · 22 Other
Choosing a school in Bradenton?
Use this page to compare every school in Bradenton by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Ida M. Stewart Elementary School
Elementary · Manatee. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Tara Elementary School
Elementary · Manatee. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Louise R Johnson K-8 School of International Studies
Elementary · Manatee. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Bradenton for 2026 are Ida M. Stewart Elementary School (9.7/10), Tara Elementary School (9.5/10), and Louise R Johnson K-8 School of International Studies (9.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 50 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
72
50 public · 22 private
Avg Score
6.6
out of 10
Median Home
$366,878
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
72
50 public · 22 private
Avg Score
6.6
out of 10
Median Home
$366,878
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 9.4/10 despite 67% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Bradenton schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Bradenton
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (50 of 72). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ida M. Stewart Elementary School | 9.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Tara Elementary School | 9.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Louise R Johnson K-8 School of International Studies | 9.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Palma Sola Elementary School | 9.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Freedom Elementary School | 9.3 / 10 |
| 6 | Braden River Elementary School | 9.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Gene Witt Elementary School | 9.1 / 10 |
| 8 | Visible Men Academy | 8.9 / 10 |
| 9 | William Monroe Rowlett Academy for Arts and Communication | 8.8 / 10 |
| 10 | B.d. Gullett Elementary School | 8.8 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.6/10
- Median household income
- $81,608
- Median home value
- $366,878
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 36%
- Avg commute
- 26 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 71%
39% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Bradenton compares
Florida rank
#103 of 280
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.3
above Florida avg (6.3)
Median household income
$82k
109% of Florida median
Schools in this city
66
Education Snapshot
Bradenton, FloridaBradenton's single district administers 72 schools across 30 elementary, 9 middle, 11 high, and 22 other or combined campuses — a full-spectrum K–12 system serving approximately 36,741 students. On the MySchoolScout composite scale, 66 scored schools average 6.6/10, a 0.3-point edge over Florida's statewide average of 6.3/10. Nine charter schools expand public-school options, making up roughly 13 percent of the city's total school count and giving choice-focused families meaningful alternatives within a single-district footprint. The local median household income of $74,415 sits 1 percent below the Florida median of $75,487, placing Bradenton's schools in a demographic band close to the state center rather than either income extreme. Adults with bachelor's degrees or higher account for 32 percent of the adult population. Parents evaluating schools here find a cohesive single-district structure where above-state-average composite ratings align with a broadly middle-income community profile.
About Schools in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton's public school system covers 48 ranked schools, producing a citywide average of 6.6 out of 10. The distribution underneath that number matters more than the average alone. Forty-six percent of schools — 22 of 48 — score 7 or higher, meaning nearly half the system clears a meaningful performance threshold. Strong options exist across the city, though they are not evenly spread.
The elementary tier drives the city's strongest results. Tara Elementary leads all 48 schools with a 9.6 rating, the highest score in Bradenton. Ida M. Stewart Elementary and Freedom Elementary both score 9.5, and Palma Sola Elementary (9.2) and Braden River Elementary (9.0) complete a top five drawn entirely from the elementary level. Families with children in the early grades have access to genuinely high-performing schools, with multiple options clustered near the top of the scale.
The 6.6 average reflects a real gap between the top performers and the rest of the 48-school field. Schools at the lower end pull that number down considerably from where the top five sit. Neighborhood assignment matters — school quality can shift substantially within a few miles, so parents should not assume consistency across the city. The 22 schools scoring 7 or above are large enough in number to give most families at least one strong option within a practical distance.
For parents researching Bradenton, the clear takeaway is to go school-by-school rather than lean on city reputation. Elementary options in the 9-plus range are among the field's strongest, and the 46% of schools at 7 or higher gives families real selection room. Middle and high school options deserve the same scrutiny — checking individual scores against the 6.6 citywide average quickly separates the above-average campuses from those that bring it down.
Elementary Schools
30 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 391 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.7 |
| 2 | 568 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.5 |
| 3 | 913 students · Pre-K–8th | 9.4 |
| 4 | 408 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.3 |
| 5 | 611 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.3 |
| 6 | 547 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.2 |
| 7 | 754 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.1 |
| 8 | 70 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.9 |
| 9 | 918 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.8 |
| 10 | 1,258 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.8 |
Show all 30 elementary schools in Bradenton
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 662 students · 6th–8th | 8.7 |
| 2 | 53 students · 6th–8th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 721 students · 6th–8th | 7.9 |
| 4 | 697 students · 6th–8th | 7.3 |
| 5 | 31 students · 6th–8th | 5.9 |
| 6 | 838 students · 6th–8th | 5.4 |
| 7 | 872 students · 6th–8th | 4.7 |
| 8 | 1,009 students · 6th–8th | 4.1 |
| 9 | 712 students · 6th–8th | 3.1 |
High Schools
11 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 485 students · 6th–12th | 8.7 | ||
| 2 | 2,368 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 | ||
| 3 | 50 students · 6th–12th | 6.4 | ||
| 4 | 40 students · 6th–12th | 6.1 | ||
| 5 | 1,801 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 | ||
| 6 | 1,996 students · 9th–12th | 5.0 | ||
| 7 | 1,641 students · 8th–12th | 4.5 | ||
| 8 | 1,464 students · 9th–12th | 3.5 | ||
| Private Schools 3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Inspiration Academy
Private
190 students · 6th–12th | 6.9 | ||
| 2 | Edison Academics
Private
71 students · 6th–12th | 6.8 | ||
Show all 11 high schools in Bradenton
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
22 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,310 students · Kindergarten–12th | 8.1 | ||
| 2 | 51 students · 3rd–12th | 5.5 | ||
| 3 | 78 students · 2nd–12th | 4.8 | ||
| 4 | 571 students · Pre-K–12th | 4.5 | ||
| 5 | 80 students · 2nd–12th | 2.9 | ||
| 6 | 12 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | — | ||
| Private Schools 16 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Pinnacle Academy
Private
176 students · Pre-K–12th | 7.8 | ||
| 2 | Community Christian School
Private
323 students · Pre-K–12th | 7.7 | ||
| 3 | St Stephen's Episcopal School
Private
642 students · Pre-K–12th | 7.3 | ||
| 4 | Next Generation Academics Inc
Private
50 students · Kindergarten–9th | 7.3 | ||
Show all 22 other schools in Bradenton
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Schools in Bradenton
Bradenton, Florida · 72 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 9 ZIP codes
Median Income
$81,608
Median Home Value
$366,878
Median Rent
$1,632/mo
Population
270,712
College Educated
36%
Homeownership
71%
Avg Commute
26 min
Poverty Rate
10.9%
Community Profile
Bradenton has a median household income of $81,608. It is an area where 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $366,878, with a median rent of $1,632/month. The area has a poverty rate of 10.9%. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Florida
- Elementary
- 30
- Middle
- 9
- High
- 11
- Other
- 22
Resources
School District
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Florida
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Bradenton, Florida
How many schools are in Bradenton, Florida?
Bradenton has 72 schools, including 50 public and 22 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Bradenton, Florida?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Bradenton is 6.6 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Bradenton, Florida?
The top-ranked school in Bradenton on MySchoolScout is Ida M. Stewart Elementary School with a composite score of 9.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Bradenton, Florida?
The top-ranked elementary school in Bradenton on MySchoolScout is Ida M. Stewart Elementary School with a composite score of 9.7/10.
What is the best middle school in Bradenton, Florida?
The top-ranked middle school in Bradenton on MySchoolScout is Rowlett Middle Academy with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best high school in Bradenton, Florida?
The top-ranked high school in Bradenton on MySchoolScout is State College of Florida Collegiate School with a composite score of 8.7/10.
How many school districts serve Bradenton, Florida?
Bradenton is served by 1 school district: Manatee.
What is the education level in Bradenton, Florida?
According to Census data, 36% of adults in Bradenton have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Bradenton, Florida?
The median household income in Bradenton is approximately $81,608 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Bradenton, Florida?
Yes, Bradenton has 22 private schools alongside 50 public schools. The top-rated private school is Pinnacle Academy with a score of 7.8/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Bradenton, Florida?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Bradenton is 14.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Bradenton, Florida?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
- Best Public Schools in Florida 2026: Top-Ranked Elementary, Middle & High Schoolsbest schools
- Best Public Schools in Jacksonville, Miami & Tampa for Families Exploring School Choicebest schools
- Best Schools in Jacksonville, FL — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Schools in Miami, FL — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Schools in Orlando, FL — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
Get school insights in your inbox
New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Florida Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.