More than 6,000 students were out of school Aug. 21 or left early, nearly three times as much as a typical school day.

A new law allows parents to choose any school in the state for their children, if it’s not already at capacity.

Using the app, parents can follow schools, see their students' grades and attendance and more.

The program, thought up by philanthropists Mary Kay and Joe Henson, will focus on preparing students below the poverty line to start reading on grade level.

In a letter to readers, Bowden explains how Sarasota County Schools can improve in the coming years, starting with helping students master the foundational skill of reading.

Students at Brookside Middle, Heron Creek Middle, Emma E. Booker Elementary and Oak Park School can expect to see new faces on the first day of school.

See what's happening in Sarasota this week.