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Sarasota County Schools Achieve Historic 92.5% Graduation Rate in 2023-2024
Sarasota County Schools has achieved a historic 92.5% graduation rate for the 2023-2024 school year, marking the highest rate in district history, excluding the 2019-2020 school year when the Florida Department of Education waived graduation assessment requirements due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This achievement places the district among the top in Florida, with all traditional public high schools showing year-over-year improvements in their graduation rates. The district’s remarkable success follows a steady upward trend, having moved from 19th to 13th in the state rankings.
As reported by Sarasota County Schools, this milestone is particularly significant considering the challenges faced in recent years. "I am incredibly proud of our students, teachers, counselors, support staff, school leaders, and families for reaching this remarkable milestone for Sarasota County Schools," said Superintendent Terry Connor in an official statement. He continued, “Their dedication and hard work have prepared our graduates for bright futures in college, careers, or military service."
Significant Gains Across School
Among the standout achievements, Pine View School and Suncoast Polytechnical High School both achieved a perfect 100% graduation rate in 2024, while Sarasota High School saw a 6.7% increase, reaching a graduation rate of 93.2%. Other schools, including Booker High School and North Port High School, also made significant strides, reflecting the hard work and commitment of both students and educators.
For example, Booker High School achieved a 5% increase in graduation rates, reaching 90.6%. North Port High School saw a 3.3% rise, bringing its graduation rate to 90.8%. Venice High School continued its strong performance with a graduation rate of 96.9%, marking a 1.4% increase from the previous year.
Graduation Rates by School
| School Name | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
| Pine View School | 100% | 100.00% | 99.50% | 99.40% | 100.00% |
| Sarasota High School | 92.10% | 89.30% | 85.60% | 86.70% | 93.20% |
| Sarasota Military Academy | 94% | 96.80% | 92.90% | 95.50% | 95.30% |
| Booker High School | 84% | 86.90% | 81.40% | 85.60% | 90.60% |
| Imagine School at North Port | 94% | 98.70% | 91.90% | 98.30% | 94.40% |
| Sarasota County Acceleration Academies | 19% | 25.90% | 9.70% | 30.00% | 37.80% |
| State College of Florida Collegiate School - Venice | -- | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 93.30% |
| Riverview High School | 94% | 90.90% | 89.60% | 89.50% | 92.60% |
| Venice High School | 95.60% | 94.20% | 95.10% | 95.50% | 96.90% |
| Oak Park School | 100.00% | 88.20% | 88.90% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| North Port High School | 95.20% | 90.50% | 88.10% | 87.50% | 90.80% |
| Suncoast Polytechnical High School | 97.70% | 97.40% | 100.00% | 98.40% | 100.00% |
| Sarasota Virtual Instruction Program | 100.00% | 90.00% | 63.60% | 81.70% | 100.00% |
| Sarasota Virtual Academy (Virtual Franchise) | -- | 95.20% | 95.50% | -- | 100.00% |
| District | 92.50% | 91.00% | 88.90% | 90.30% | 92.50% |
Closing the Achievement Gap
Sarasota County Schools has made notable progress in closing the achievement gap among various student subgroups. Hispanic students experienced a 6.1% increase in graduation rates, reaching 90.1%, while English Language Learners (ELL) saw a dramatic 15.8% improvement, bringing their graduation rate to 84.5%. Students with disabilities (SWD) also performed well, with an 86.4% graduation rate.
Graduation Rates by Subgroup
| Demographic Group | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
| White | 94% | 93.10% | 92.20% | 93.00% | 94.80% |
| Hispanic | 88.20% | 88.50% | 84.00% | 84.00% | 90.10% |
| Black | 88% | 79.60% | 71.70% | 81.60% | 81.10% |
| Multiracial | 94% | 89.10% | 88.00% | 90.90% | 92.70% |
| Asian | 99% | 98.20% | 98.20% | 100.00% | 98.90% |
| Students with Disabilities (SWD) | 80% | 79.40% | 79.80% | 87.30% | 86.40% |
| English Language Learners (ELL) | 89.20% | 90.80% | 75.10% | 68.70% | 84.50% |
| Free/Reduced Lunch (FRL) | 89% | 85.80% | 81.30% | 84.30% | 87.60% |
| District Totals | 94.00% | 93.10% | 92.20% | 93.00% | 94.80% |
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