Sarasota School District
School District · Sarasota, Florida
Avg Rating
7.3
out of 10
Schools
60
30 elem, 11 mid, 10 high
Enrollment
45,314
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
Avg Rating
7.3
out of 10
Schools
60
30 elem, 11 mid, 10 high
Enrollment
45,314
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
Evaluating Sarasota?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Sarasota as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Ashton Elementary School
Sarasota · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Lakeview Elementary School
Sarasota · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Southside Elementary School
Sarasota · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Florida rank
#10 of 71
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+1.0
above Florida avg
Per-pupil spending
$14,033
+$2,272 vs Florida median
District size
45,314 students
Much larger than Florida median
The short answer
Sarasota ranks #10 of 71 Florida districts by overall school rating. Sarasota's schools with real test data average 7.4/10 across 53 schools. Its top-rated schools are Ashton Elementary School (9.6/10), Lakeview Elementary School (9.5/10), and Southside Elementary School (9.5/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 9.2/10 despite 66% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.3 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 Sarasota schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Sarasota
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (53 of 60). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashton Elementary School | 9.6 / 10 |
| 2 | Lakeview Elementary School | 9.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Southside Elementary School | 9.5 / 10 |
| 4 | Venice Elementary School | 9.4 / 10 |
| 5 | Pine View School | 9.3 / 10 |
| 6 | Student Leadership Academy | 9.3 / 10 |
| 7 | Atwater Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Suncoast Polytechnical High School | 9.2 / 10 |
| 9 | Phillippi Shores Elementary School | 9.1 / 10 |
| 10 | State College of Fla Collegiate School-venice | 8.6 / 10 |
See all 60 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Sarasota
Sarasota County School District serves 45,314 students across 63 schools in southwest Florida. The district spans a mix of urban, suburban, and coastal communities, making it one of the mid-sized districts in the state with enough scale to offer specialized programs while maintaining competitive academics across grade levels.
Of the district's 63 schools, 56 carry a ranked score, averaging 7.1 out of 10 — a strong baseline that signals consistent performance rather than a few outliers carrying the rest. That average places Sarasota well above many Florida peers and reflects broad instructional quality across elementary, middle, and high school levels. Parents comparing districts should note that a 7.1 district average is meaningfully higher than what many similarly sized Florida districts produce.
At the top end, Southside Elementary and Garden Elementary both score 9.4 out of 10, leading the district and ranking among the strongest elementary programs in the region. Lakeview Elementary and Pine View School each post an 8.9, with Venice Elementary close behind at 8.8. Five schools scoring 8.8 or higher in a single district is uncommon and signals that high performance here is not concentrated in one corner of the county. Pine View School, rated 8.9, stands out as a specialized option within the district and draws students from across Sarasota County based on academic criteria.
For parents prioritizing elementary education specifically, Sarasota's options are particularly strong. Four of the five top-rated schools in the district are elementary schools, and their scores cluster tightly between 8.8 and 9.4 — meaning the gap between the best and the fifth-best is narrow. Families relocating to the area should map their home address against school boundaries early, since attendance zones determine access to these high-scoring elementary campuses. Overall, Sarasota County School District delivers a level of academic consistency that makes it a serious consideration for families weighing Southwest Florida communities.
District Map
Schools in Sarasota, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Sarasota with test data.
Schools in Sarasota
60 schoolsElementary Schools30
Middle Schools11
High Schools10
Other Schools9
District Details
- State
- Florida
- City
- Sarasota
- Total Enrollment
- 45,314
- Teachers (FTE)
- 2,993
- District spending per student
- $14,033NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 11.0%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Sarasota?
Sarasota has 60 schools in total — 30 elementary, 11 middle, and 10 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Sarasota?
The average composite rating for Sarasota is 7.3/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the district spending per student in Sarasota?
Sarasota's district-level spending was $14,033 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Sarasota?
The average student-teacher ratio in Sarasota is 15.1:1.
What is the top-rated school in Sarasota?
Ashton Elementary School is the highest-rated school in Sarasota with a composite score of 9.6/10.
What are the test scores in Sarasota?
Across schools in Sarasota with test data, the average math proficiency is 66.6% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 64.4%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Sarasota compare to other districts in Florida?
Sarasota has an average school rating of 7.3/10 across 60 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Florida by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 7.3/10
- Math Proficiency
- 66.6%
- ELA Proficiency
- 64.4%
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 rateOther School Districts in FL
Compare Sarasota with neighboring districts in the state.
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.
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