District posts three rezoning options online and schedules public meetings; residents press to return neighborhoods to Southeast High

Bradenton, Fla. — Manatee County School District staff on June 10 reviewed a public-rezoning outreach plan that includes posted maps, an online comment portal and five in-person public meetings to take neighborhood feedback ahead of final board action this fall.

What staff released Staff posted three rezoning options and an interactive landing page on the district website on June 9, and sent a district-wide notice the evening of June 9 announcing the maps and public-meeting schedule. The website allows users to select their address and compare which school would serve that address under each of the three options; it also links to a "Let's Talk" comment form for public input. Staff said the portal will accept comments through Aug. 15 and that team members will triage and compile feedback.

Schedule and process - Public meeting series: staff listed five community meetings (the presentation listed meetings scheduled June 11—8) and plans to present three full options for elementary, middle and high schools to the public at those events. Maps and supporting materials will be on display at meetings and on monitors; staff will maintain a frequently asked questions file based on incoming comments. - Next steps: staff will collect public input through Aug. 15, incorporate feedback into revised options, and prepare a set of maps for board review and advertisement in October. The timeline anticipates final decisions before the new boundaries take effect with the 2026-27 attendance changes and a new high school planned for 2027.

Public comment at the workshop At the workshop, resident Keenan Wooten urged the board to return a set of neighborhoods to Southeast High School that were rezoned away in an earlier round of boundary changes. Wooten listed neighborhoods including Manatee, Old East Bradenton, East Bradenton Park, Tropicana and Citrus Meadows and said the community wants its high-school students assigned back to Southeast. Board members and staff responded that Manatee High School would be used as a meeting location in the current outreach round and that online comment is available for those who cannot attend.

Technical notes and recruitment Staff described how the maps were developed: four staff teams examined local areas and the district prepared a set of simplified and satellite maps plus capacity tables and advantage/consideration checklists for each school. Staff also said they would produce meeting-level dashboards and briefings for board members summarizing comment volumes and topics.

Ending District staff asked residents to use the online portal to submit comments rather than individual emails to board members, so the district can compile feedback consistently. Staff will bring the revised options to the board after the public-input period concludes in August and ahead of October workshops for formal action.