Schools in Sarasota Florida
The greater Sarasota area is home to a wide variety of schools that prepare students from kindergarten through college for a lifetime of success. In fact, some of the best schools in the state are located right here.
“We are pleased to be one of only two school districts to be graded ‘A’ by the Florida Department of Education for 14 years running,” says Dr. Todd Bowden, Superintendent of Sarasota County Schools. “Our motto is, ‘Every student, every day.’ We work hard to ensure that every graduate is ready for college or the workforce by offering a wide range of rigorous academic courses and a variety of career and technical education (CTE) options.”
Students can choose from more than 40 CTE programs in 13 career clusters throughout Sarasota County Schools, giving them the skills they need to enter the workforce after high school.
Students who choose to continue their education after high school have plenty of options in greater Sarasota as well. Thanks to the Cross College Alliance program between five of the area institutions, students can take courses at any of the colleges in the program and receive credit at their home campus, including New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art & Design, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, State College of Florida, Eckerd College, and Florida State University at The Ringling.
Argosy University, Sarasota offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in a variety of areas of study, such as business administration, psychology, education, information technology and more. Thanks to flexible learning formats, classes are offered in the evenings, on weekends and online to make earning a degree convenient for those with busy schedules.
Everglades University’s Sarasota Branch Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a wide range of studies, including business administration, entrepreneurship, alternative medicine, aviation/aerospace and surveying management, just to name a few.
About 40 future physicians based at the Florida State University College of Medicine’s Sarasota Regional Campus complete clinical rotations locally in internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, obstetrics-gynecology, general surgery and more. These medical students learn directly from experienced Sarasota community physicians.
For 40 years, Keiser University (KU) has been a talent development leader, providing more than 100 doctoral through associate degrees in areas including nursing, information technology, logistics and more. Regionally accredited at Level VI by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, KU is Florida’s third largest private, not-for-profit university.
The largest medical college in the country, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is part of an osteopathic academic health center. The campus in Lakewood Ranch offers doctoral degrees in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. A master’s in medical science program prepares students looking to gain entry into the health professions and a master’s in health services administration trains health care executives.
Students will enjoy a low student-to-faculty ratio at New College of Florida, where offerings include bachelor’s degrees in areas, such as marine biology, chemistry, computer science and more, as well as a master’s in data science. The college recently expanded its Heiser Natural Sciences Complex, which added 22,000 square feet of classrooms, labs and offices.
Those looking to work in the most creative companies and industries can pursue a degree in one of 12 disciplines at Ringling College of Art and Design, including computer animation, film, game art, illustration and more.
Sarasota University offers master’s degrees in leadership and education. The programs are specifically tailored for those who are already teaching in
Montessori schools or teachers who are looking to
join a Montessori school.
For 60 years, the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) has been providing a quality education for area students. Campuses in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton and Venice offer bachelor’s in nursing, technology management, homeland security and many other concentrations, as well as certificates and associate degrees.
Suncoast Technical College (STC), which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, has several campuses throughout Sarasota County. Students who attend STC can choose from technical programs in areas such as manufacturing, transportation, distribution and logistics, health science and others. Pupils can attend Suncoast Polytechnical High School on the STC campus to get a head start with programs for business/entrepreneurship, automotive technology, animation and gaming systems,
and robotics/applied engineering, to name a few.
Students can pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as certificates at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM), where programs of study include information technology, education, and social work. By Brooke Payne
Private Schools in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota Academy of the Arts
4466 Fruitville Road
Sarasota, FL 34232
941-377-2278
www.sarasotaacademyofthearts.com
Sarasota Christian School
5415 Bahia Vista St.
Sarasota, FL 34232
941-371-6481
www.sarasotachristian.org
St. Martha Catholic School
4380 Fruitville Road
Sarasota, FL 34232
941-953-4181
www.stmarthaschool.net
St. Mary Academy
4380 Fruitville Road
Sarasota, FL 34232
941-366-4010
www.stmarysarasota.org
The NewGate School
5237 Ashton Road
Sarasota, FL 34233
941-922-4949
www.newgate.edu
The Out-of-Door Academy
444 Reid St.
Sarasota, FL 34242
941-349-3223
www.oda.edu