Manatee School Board to Review 2026 Legislative Priorities and Funding Requests at Upcoming Meeting
The School District of Manatee County will review its 2026 Legislative Session Priorities during the next Regular School Board Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 7, at 10 a.m. According to the agenda packet, the list outlines the district’s key policy goals and funding requests for the upcoming legislative session.
Among the proposed priorities is a request for clarification allowing school boards to construct or renovate educational facilities under the Florida Building Code, as long as all safety and fire standards are met. This would exempt districts from additional State Requirements for Educational Facilities, streamlining local construction projects.
The board is also seeking to require the Florida Department of Education to conduct cost-effectiveness analyses when evaluating school modernization or replacement recommendations, ensuring the most financially prudent outcomes for taxpayers.
Other priorities include a review of Florida’s Sunshine Laws to permit school board members to attend public events or trainings together without violating open-meeting requirements, and authorization for districts to develop workforce housing for employees under the Live Local Act. These “educational villages” would be treated as educational facilities for permitting and construction purposes.
Additionally, the board is advocating for an annual increase of at least 5 percent in the Base Student Allocation to reflect inflation and changes in the cost of living. It also requests that any new state mandates be fully funded without diverting money from existing allocations.
For appropriations, the district is seeking a $750,000 grant to establish Manatee County’s second Soar in 4 Lab. The interactive learning space is designed to build pre-kindergarten and kindergarten readiness skills, serving as a statewide model for early learning.
More details and the full agenda are available through the School District of Manatee County’s meeting materials, which can be accessed here.