The Manatee County School Board on Dec. 9 approved a redistricting plan and maps after staff presentations and public input, and district staff outlined the controlled open enrollment process, legacy and founders priority provisions, and outreach plans ahead of the January application window.

"You don't need a reason to apply for controlled open enrollment," Jamara Clark of the Office of Student Assignment said during a detailed presentation on the district's school-choice work. Clark described outreach efforts, a new school locator tool, a small on-the-ground enrollment office for families east of I-75 and an aggressive marketing strategy to highlight magnet and choice programming.

Key timelines and procedural details announced by staff:

- Applications for general controlled open enrollment and other choice options will go live Jan. 5 after winter break.
- Families who want to use the legacy provision or founders provision should complete priority forms by Jan. 30 to secure rights to stay at a school through the highest grade offered or to lock in founders priority for rising ninth graders for the 2027-28 school year.
- Legacy and founders provisions do not include district-funded transportation; parents who choose those options are responsible for transportation.

Clark gave enrollment and program figures during the presentation: the office reported 1,081 students in special programs (ACE and IB), about 6,854 students currently in choice/magnet/out-of-zone placements and a recent uptick in applications (1,390 this year to date). The Office of Student Assignment said it will review wait lists quarterly and provide guidance for out-of-zone priority forms and move-remaining options.

The board discussed programmatic and classroom-capacity reasons for phasing grades in at new schools (for example, rolling up grades rather than opening all secondary grades at once) and praised staff for a year-long rezoning process. The redistricting maps were approved unanimously, and staff said they will publish approved maps, notify families and begin updates to capacity dashboards and Fish-report data.

What happens next: The district will communicate detailed instructions to families about application steps and priority categories in the coming weeks and will host a STEM and School Choice showcase Jan. 24 at the Bradenton Convention Center where parents can sign up on-site.