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Parents, students and teachers urge board not to move Suncoast Polytechnical High; warn Schools of Hope collocation risks
Summary
Multiple speakers at the Oct. 21 Sarasota school‑board meeting urged the board to pause plans affecting Suncoast Polytechnical High School, criticized potential for‑profit charter collocation under Schools of Hope law, and called on board members to use legislative influence to protect district schools.
Dozens of parents, students, teachers and community members told the Sarasota County School Board on Oct. 21 that Suncoast Polytechnical High School (SPHS or Polytech) should not be relocated or repurposed, warning that moving the school would disrupt career and technical education (CTE) pathways and open the door to charter collocation under Florida’s Schools of Hope law.
Multiple student speakers described SPHS as a small, career‑focused environment closely tied to Suncoast Technical College (STC), with programs in robotics, nursing and precision manufacturing that rely on adjacent college facilities and specialized labs. "Moving Polytech would dismantle one of the district’s most successful and self‑sustaining ecosystems," said Luna Neto, a 2020 Polytech graduate. Students and staff noted the loss of nearby workshops, CNC equipment, a fab lab…
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