Total enrollment
45,253
+2,631 (+6%) vs SY 2020-21
Sarasota County
Florida · Public K-12
Sarasota County reports 63 public K-12 schools to NCES, against a population of 459,547, with an average school size of 718 students. That works out to 35 elementary, 11 middle, and 11 high schools.
4-year change in Sarasota County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
61
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Sarasota County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Florida | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 64.4% | #5 of 63 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 45,253 | #21 of 65 | #238 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 61 | #20 of 65 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.9:1 | #11 of 65 | #2,055 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 44.3% | #49 of 65 | #1,910 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 58.6% | #40 of 64 | #646 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Sarasota County school rankings
Residents
459,547
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
63
2 districts
Enrollment
45,253
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$83,416
Above Florida avg
Free/reduced lunch
44.3%
Below Florida avg
Elementary
35
20,380 students
Middle
11
7,930 students
High
11
13,637 students
Combined / other
6
3,306 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
SARASOTA
45,246 students · 2 districts in Sarasota County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Sarasota County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
40.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.7%
civilian labor
Median age
57
14.0% under 18
Test scores in Sarasota County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 53 schools ranked. Florida state average: 57.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- PINE VIEW SCHOOL· 99.3%
- SUNCOAST POLYTECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL· 88.5%
- SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 85.5%
- SARASOTA MIDDLE SCHOOL· 80.0%
- LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 79.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- SARASOTA VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM· 38.6%
- GOCIO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 40.4%
- DREAMERS ACADEMY· 40.4%
- WILKINSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 40.8%
- BOOKER MIDDLE SCHOOL· 43.7%
Cities in Sarasota County
About Sarasota County
Sarasota County is a large Florida county of about 459,547 residents, home to 63 public schools and roughly 45,253 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $83,416, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 22% noticeably above the Florida median.
On the school-mix side, Sarasota County consists of 35 elementary schools (20,380 students), 11 middle schools (7,930), 11 high schools (13,637), and 6 combined or other schools.
SARASOTA is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 45,246 students across Sarasota County.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 45,253 students, grew 6% from the 42,622 reported in SY 2020-21.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Sarasota County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data