Parents, students and teachers urge board not to move Suncoast Polytechnical High; warn Schools of Hope collocation risks

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 and other tools crucial to hands‑on CTE instruction.

Teachers and Polytech staff told the board that enrollment had declined after county and state changes to some CTE pathways but that the campus’s proximity to STC remains critical to program quality. "We admitted every student who met requirements last year but enrolled below typical targets," said Russell Finger, a longtime Polytech teacher.

Speakers tied the Polytech debate to the expanded Schools of Hope law, which permits outside charter operators to collocate in district facilities and may require districts to provide space and services. Robin Pickett and others called the expansion "parasitic," warning it would divert local tax dollars for custodial, transportation and food services to out‑of‑state charter operators and potentially destabilize neighborhood schools.

Several community members urged board members to use their legislative contacts to ask state lawmakers to modify the law or provide clearer protections for district schools. They also asked the board to pause any decisions that would displace Polytech until alternatives are studied, such as renovating other district property or reconfiguring grade spans at different campuses.

What the board did in this meeting

Speakers used the general public‑comment portion of the meeting to press the board; no final board decision to relocate Polytech was recorded in the Oct. 21 minutes. Some board members acknowledged the concerns and suggested further study; Superintendent Conner acknowledged the sensitivity and suggested options could be examined in future workshops. The transcript shows the board later pulled item 7.41 (a priority‑access housing agreement) from the consent agenda for further review, but that action was separate from facility decisions about Polytech.

Why it matters

Polytech’s programs are connected to workforce pathways and regional technical training; relocation or collocation with younger students could reduce access to specialized equipment, training and college partnerships, community members said. The Schools of Hope law places additional pressure on districts because collocating charters can use district resources while operating independently.

Next steps requested by speakers

Speakers asked the board to: pause any relocation or collocation steps involving Polytech; provide a public study of alternatives (including repurposing other district parcels); and engage the district’s legislative delegation to seek changes or clarifications to Schools of Hope provisions that require district support for collocated charters.