Latest reporting from the Education desk.
State College of Florida began spring 2027 registration on Monday, Oct. 5, with classes at the Lakewood Ranch campus starting Jan. 11, and new students able to register starting Oct. 12.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School social studies teacher Kyle Steinberg is urging fellow teachers to share the 9/11 Memorial & Museum's annual commemoration video with students ahead of Friday's 25th anniversary, marking his fifth year using the program's first-person survivor accounts.
Education
Manatee County public high school students, including those at Lakewood Ranch High, can apply for 40 scholarships worth $500 each by completing 20 hours of environmental volunteer service and an essay through the Student Service Challenge.
Education
The Florida Board of Governors voted unanimously on Sept. 3 to ban students in the country unlawfully from enrolling at the state's 12 public universities starting in the 2027-28 school year, narrowing college options for Lakewood Ranch-area graduates.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School's Student Government Association is planning a homecoming week in October with daily dress-up themes and a Thursday bonfire, plus monthly spirit events for the 2026-27 school year.
Education
The Florida Board of Education will vote Sept. 16 on a proposed rule requiring school districts serving Lakewood Ranch to update internet safety policies to cover AI by July 2027, including parent notification when teachers approve AI tools and a ban on AI filling social-emotional roles.
Education
The Manatee County School Board approved a three-year strategic plan on Aug. 25 that shifts the district from building new schools to strengthening academics, retaining teachers and improving existing campuses, after Lakewood Ranch High posted a district-leading 97% graduation rate.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School replaced clipboard bathroom passes with a FOCUS computer-based electronic system for the 2026-27 school year, giving administrators real-time tracking of student movement across a campus of roughly 2,370 students.
Education
A free homeschool community fair called Find Your Village will bring more than 25 vendors, food trucks and children's activities to Bethel Church in Bradenton on Aug. 29, offering Lakewood Ranch-area families a one-stop resource as the new school year begins.
Education
A $2 million gift from Venice resident Dr. William H. Jervey Jr. will name the State College of Florida Collegiate School buildings in Bradenton and Venice, supporting the tuition-free charter program where area high schoolers earn college credit and associate degrees.
Education
Sarasota County Schools trained 213 teachers in Everglades environmental literacy during 2025-26 and recognized 12 elementary schools as Champion Schools, while Cranberry Elementary's Laurie Kemble presented her curriculum work at a statewide symposium in July.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School teacher Ben Hall and senior Keaven Zheng are among the first to endorse Model Manatee, a new multi-week civics program that lets Manatee County high schoolers attend commission meetings, shadow officials and conduct a mock government session, with applications due Aug. 21.
Education
Sarasota Christian School cut the ribbon on a new 13-classroom high school building on Aug. 6, the first phase of a 43,000-square-foot master plan, as enrollment reaches a record 836 students ahead of the Aug. 10 first day of school.
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