Manatee parents, charter leaders press school board to share half‑cent sales tax with charter schools; district counsel says distribution complies with law

Several charter school leaders and parents urged the Manatee County School Board on April 8 to change how the district distributes countywide half‑cent sales tax revenue, saying charter students and their families pay the same taxes but have received none of the funds in recent years.

The comments came during the meeting’s public‑comment period and were led by Laurie Diamont Abdullah, a Manatee County resident and parent, followed by school leaders and charter board members who said that, because more than 20% of the county’s public students attend charter schools, a proportionate allocation of the tax revenue is fair and consistent with state intent.

Why this matters: Speakers said the half‑cent tax was sold to voters as a countywide investment in public education. They argued that excluding charter students from the distribution leaves many families paying for improvements their schools do not receive and, they said, weakens public trust ahead of future referenda.

Laurie Diamont Abdullah, identifying herself as a Manatee County resident, taxpayer and parent, told the board that families who send children to charter schools “pay the same half‑cent sales tax as everyone else in Manatee County, but their kids aren’t getting any of the benefits.”

Jacob Durance, principal of Pembina Charter School, said charter families contribute to the tax and that charter students “are your students too,” noting that charter enrollment comprises more than one in five county students and that, in recent years, charter schools received no half‑cent sales tax support while the district received more than $100 million from the levy.

Edward Viltz, a Team Success Charter School board member, described capital needs at his school’s 65‑year‑old North Campus and said charter schools historically depended on sales‑tax revenue for capital improvements. “Prior to the pandemic, Team Success was consistently an A school,” Viltz said, adding that he participated on the task force supporting the tax renewal in 2016 and that it was understood then that charter schools would share in the revenue.

Board response and next steps: After public comment, Board Chair Chad Choate asked district legal counsel to reiterate the district’s view. Counsel Michael Dye said he has issued an opinion that the district’s distribution of the half‑cent sales tax does not violate state law; he said staff will present the factual background and history of the distribution at a planned workshop on May 2.

The board did not take immediate action on any change to the distribution during the meeting. Speakers requested the board consider a budget amendment to include charter schools in the current fiscal year and urged policymakers to treat charter students as equivalent beneficiaries of county education funding going forward.

What was cited: Several public commenters referenced Florida statutes by number while urging equitable distribution, including a reference to “Florida State statute section 212.0556(b)” (as stated by a speaker) and “Florida State statute section 1002.335.” The board and counsel did not assert a new statutory reading during the meeting; instead counsel said the district’s current approach complies with the law and that staff will provide fuller background at the May 2 workshop.

Community context and next steps: Speakers urged the board not to wait and to adopt a fair allocation for the 2024–25 year; board members said the district will hold a workshop on May 2 to provide legal and historical context and to let the board consider options. No vote or budget amendment was taken on April 8.

Ending: Board members acknowledged the public comments and scheduled further review. The board’s May 2 workshop will provide the staff legal opinion and historical record that district counsel referenced.