Manatee School Board Weighs Charter School Co-Location Plans at Lincoln and Harllee Campuses
The School District of Manatee County’s Board devoted nearly the final hour of its recent workshop to discussing the Schools of Hope statute and letters received from Mater Academy Inc., a Miami-based charter school operator seeking to co-locate at two district facilities: Lincoln Memorial Middle School and the Harllee Full Service Center.
The notices, permitted under Florida Statute 1002.333, outline Mater Academy’s intent to open in 2027, projecting up to 963 students at Lincoln Memorial within five years. District staff and board members expressed concerns that the company’s plan could lead to full occupation of the facilities rather than limited co-location.
Board member Heather Felton raised particular alarm over the potential impact to the Harllee Center, which currently houses numerous specialized programs and services, including the Access to Education program for exceptional students, the AMI program, the Teen Parent Program with a nursery, and the Soar in 4 Lab that supports early learning and family engagement. She emphasized that these programs require additional space and serve populations not represented in the standard school capacity spreadsheets used by the state.
Felton and others on the board noted that the schools in question are neither low-performing nor located in state-designated opportunity zones, which are the typical focus of Schools of Hope provisions. She described the letters as a continuation of statewide efforts to expand charter operations and privatization using public funds, warning that local districts shoulder the operational burden when facilities are shared.
Board Chair Chad Choate called the notices an exploratory effort, suggesting that while some co-locations may occur across Florida, a large-scale takeover in Manatee County was unlikely. He urged the Board to maintain a unified, measured response and to communicate clearly with the community about the issue, leaving room for legislative dialogue.
Superintendent Dr. Laurie Breslin reassured the Board that the district’s existing programs are strong and that staff will provide a complete accounting of facility use when responding to any formal requests. She emphasized that the district’s focus remains on supporting principals, teachers, and students, and that this situation should not be treated as an immediate crisis.
Board member Charlie Kennedy agreed that public engagement is essential but urged calm, stating that the district should continue monitoring legislative intent and collaborate with advocacy organizations to ensure local interests are represented.
Board members Cindy Spray and Richard Tatem both indicated they plan to discuss the issue further with legislators. Spray intends to address concerns about funding and facility regulations, while Tatem expressed interest in reviewing how costs for utilities and maintenance would be handled under such arrangements.
The Board collectively agreed that while state law currently limits their ability to prevent co-locations, they will continue to advocate for transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the protection of existing district programs.
The full discussion can be viewed at School Board Workshop Recording, timestamp 1:19:00.