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Manatee County reports broad assessment gains; district projects multiple school-grade improvements
Summary
Manatee County School District presented spring 2026 assessment results showing strong early-literacy gains (K–2) and year-over-year improvement across grade bands. Officials said state school grades will be released next month and several schools are projected to move up in letter grade.
Manatee County's school leaders on June 9 presented spring 2026 assessment results showing gains across early literacy, middle and high school measures and a projection that multiple schools could improve their official letter grades when the state finalizes ratings.
Assistant Superintendent Mr. Johnson told the board the PM3 and EOC results feed into state accountability formulas and that the district is seeing particularly large gains in K–2 literacy. "PM3 ... that's when the results really are factored into all the state and school accountability formulas," Johnson said, summarizing why the latest results matter for school and district grades. The presentation combined Renaissance STAR (K–2), FAST (grades 3–10) and end-of-course exam results, showing year-over-year increases in several subject areas and grade bands.
Board members and staff highlighted early-learning investments as a core driver. Several members asked for follow-up data showing how many pre-K children attend district, charter or private programs and how pre-K participation maps into kindergarten matriculation; staff agreed to provide counts of total pre-K participants and matriculation rates. Officials also warned that changes in math course progression and which students are tested can affect year-to-year percentages for algebra and geometry.
The district previewed simulated school-grade projections prepared from the state's data model; staff cautioned the simulations carry some margin of error until the state posts official grades. The presentation named Samet and several other schools as likely to move up several grade bands based on current data and modeling. Board members and educators praised school staff and students for the improvements and discussed continuing investments in early learning and acceleration pathways.
The superintendent said the state will release final assessment files to districts by June 30, with school and district grades to follow. The board did not take formal action on the assessment report; it requested follow-up enrollment and matriculation details for pre-K and kindergarten populations.
