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Parents, charter leaders press Manatee school board to restore share of half-cent sales tax to charters
Summary
Several parents, charter leaders and a retired district official urged the Manatee County School Board on March 11 to restore a portion of the half‑cent sales tax revenues to public charter schools, saying charters have been excluded since 2023–24 and that the loss harms thousands of students.
Several parents, charter school leaders and former district staff urged the Manatee County School Board on March 11 to restore a portion of the half‑cent sales tax revenues to public charter schools, saying the denial of those funds since the 2023–24 school year harms thousands of students.
The speakers said charter schools educate roughly one in five public school students in Manatee County and that the sales tax revenue — which the speakers said brings in about $50–$53 million in a recent year — should be distributed to all public schools.
"Public charter school students are no different than district school students," said Dr. Steve Marshall, principal of Manatee School for the Arts. "The charter successes are also the district successes.…
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