- January 17, 2026
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The broad, November sketches of a reimagining plan for a dozen Sarasota County public schools have evolved in early 2026 into more painted-in portraits of the years ahead.
Timelines, partnerships and logistics have come into a more detailed vision alongside costs and funding options. Another update is planned in March.
“It’s actually only been 26 school days,’’ said Superintendent Terry Connor at a Jan. 6 school board work session, acknowledging that some work obviously took place beyond the boundaries of instructional hours.
In sharpest focus are plans for denser use of school capacities through conversion of several elementary schools into kindergarten through eighth-grade campuses; establishing a technology-innovation magnet school and creation of two regional Junior Achievement hubs. Competition of private schools — often because of state-funded vouchers — home-schooling and charter schools drove the November plan, as did the realities of Florida’s Schools of Hope program, which allow school operators to co-locate facilities on public school campuses rent-free.
Four such co-location requests have been rejected by Sarasota County since last fall.
“I love that we are using our spaces to benefit more of the community,’’ School Board member Liz Barker said. “That’s something I had spoken with Mr. Connor about before I was even sworn in.’’
Plans are moving forward to transform the school near Bee Ridge Road and South Shade Avenue into a magnet for grades 6-8 with a focus on machine learning, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and esports, beginning with a cohort of sixth graders in 2026-27.
In partnership with University of South Florida, the school which could be renamed Gulf Coast Academy for Technology and Innovation, would likely connect with the university’s Sarasota-Manatee facilities and expertise.
Chief Academic Officer Rachael O’Day said the university connection is instrumental in training teachers, developing curricula and setting up facilities.
“That was the first step, getting the commitment,’’ she said. “Not only in the phase of program development but also within implementation and beyond.’’
Students would have the opportunity to participate in competitive online gaming.
“This is really taking off, and it’s something we don’t currently offer in the district so we’re really exploring how can this be a major aspect of the Brookside program and partnership,’’ Connor said.
School Board member Tom Edwards cautioned the district to ensure any partnership with USF is immune from potential realignment of the school with New College of Florida, as has been proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
School Board member Karen Rose said connection with a university or college would propel not only Brookside but also the district.
“I got my Masters at USF, I love USF — I think its great to have in the neighborhood, but I also love New College,’’ she said. “Whether its USF or New College or such or State College of Florida we’re partnering with, I think that’s going to make us great.’’
Private-sector fundraising could begin by March for the $40 million it’s estimated to cost in converting portions of both Emma Booker Elementary and Emma Booker Middle schools into a pair of Junior Achievement hubs.
Similar to a facility in Tampa, Biztown and Finance Park would offer students opportunities to learn about real-world economics and entrepreneurship. $14.5 million would establish JA Biz Town, which could open for the 2027-28 school year.
Connor said Biz Town, which in Tampa is styled like a city street with corporate branded “storefronts,” would likely come first. The middle school Finance Park would follow, at an estimated cost of about $26.5 million.
“This isn’t just about Sarasota County,’’ said Brandon Johnson, the district’s director of strategic innovation. “This will support multiple counties around us. We want to be that hub.’’
The Tampa BizTown opened in 2005 and Finance Park in 2017. A similar Polk County facility is on track to open in 2026-27. Among the Tampa sites sponsors: Kane’s Furniture, Chik-fil-A, the Florida Aquarium, USAA and Capital One.
Four elementary schools, Alta Vista, Gulf Gate, Wilkinson and Brentwood, would begin next school year by adding sixth graders, tacking on a grade each school year until 2028-29.
Wilkinson was recommended for closure last fall, with its students dispersed to other campuses also with lower than optimal enrollment.
By the time eighth-graders are flowed in, the four schools’ enrollments are envisioned to climb into a range from 78% to 104%.
Sports will be part of the conversion, initially with intramural sports for sixth graders and then with middle-school interscholastic volleyball, basketball, golf, tennis and track & field. If soccer and flag football are added to the broader middle school sports programs, then the new K-8 schools would get them as well.
Johnson said full sports facilities might not be immediately available
“They may have to do away games when we actually have those home games, because of it being an elementary campus,’’ he said.
Reminding board members that the biggest price tags are to be paid by private donations, Connor said that more than $4 million of the $5 million expected costs would be part of the district’s capital budget.
“But here’s the deal, either you’re going to generate more students, and that generates the funding for new teachers or you’re going to be moving students from one school to the next, which means the staffing follows that pretty closely,’’ he said.
