School district fails to win money for STEM grant

For the second year in a row, the Manatee County School District fell just short to win federal funding for a grant to fund a plan to implement science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) labs in elementary schools.

The district placed No. 7 in the Race to the Top competition, a national grant competition that gives money to school districts with innovative learning ideas.

The district’s $28.7 million proposal built off a grant application that fell short last December, when the district learned its “Manatee County is F.I.R.S.T (Fully Integrated Reading Science Technology) in the Race to Student Success” grant finished 22nd, short of the top 16 finalists that earned funding.

This year, five school districts of more than 400 applicants were awarded funds.

Manatee County was the only finalist from Florida. 

Contact Josh Siegel at j[email protected].