Schools of Hope Legislation Spurs Charter Interest and Raises Costs for Manatee Schools
The School District of Manatee County is reviewing letters from two charter school operators seeking to co-locate at Lincoln Memorial Middle School and the Sara Scott Harllee Center under Florida’s newly enacted Schools of Hope law. At the same time, district leaders say the legislation is forcing costly adjustments to major construction projects, including the county’s next high school.
The Schools of Hope law, which took effect Tuesday, allows charter school companies to occupy unused or underperforming space within traditional public school facilities. If a site qualifies, the district would be required to provide transportation, utilities, custodial services, and meals for students attending the charter program. Miami-based Mater Academy Inc., an approved hope operator, and Somerset Academy Inc., which is not currently listed as eligible, have both submitted interest in transforming Lincoln Memorial Middle into a K–8 campus for 963 students and turning the Harllee Center into a grades 6–12 school serving up to 782 students. Both organizations operate under Academica, a major charter management company that said it sent letters to districts statewide and expects to open only a small number of Schools of Hope campuses for the 2027–2028 school year.
District officials say the new law is also affecting long-term planning and taxpayer costs. The upcoming Lakewood Ranch-area high school, projected at nearly $200 million, will open in phases beginning in 2027 —a strategy designed partly to align with rezoning and also to prevent underused space that could qualify for charter takeover. Mike Pendley, the district’s executive planner, said that delaying the construction of some classroom buildings will ultimately cost more than building the full campus at once. However, the district is trying to avoid creating vacancies that would trigger co-location eligibility.
The 300,000-square-foot high school, situated near Lorraine Road and the Premier Sports Campus, will open to ninth- and tenth-grade students in 2027 and add one grade level per year until it is fully operational in 2029. Pendley said the district “almost has to get into a situation where the school’s overcapacity before we can add on more,” describing the need to prevent empty classrooms that could be targeted by Schools of Hope operators.
School Board member Charlie Kennedy said he was aware of internal discussions on how to navigate the new legislation and views the phased opening as a necessary response to avoid potential charter encroachment. “The Schools of Hope legislation is constantly hanging over our heads,” he said.
District leaders anticipate reviewing the charter interest letters and facility viability in the coming months as the impact of the new legislation unfolds in Manatee County.
