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League of Women Voters of Manatee County

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Education

The League of Women Voters of Florida supports Florida’s constitutional requirement to make adequate provision for the education of all children that is ‘uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality’. We support a free public school system for Florida with high standards for student achievement and with quality of educational opportunity for all that is financed adequately by the state through an equitable funding formula.

The League of Women Voters of Manatee County’s EDUCATION PRIORITIES include:

  • Promote adequate funding, exemplary instructional practices, and a wide range of support services for students in Manatee County’s public schools, that result in grade-level literacy and other indicators of improved student outcomes. 
  • Advocate for decisions made by the School Board to be aligned to the Manatee School District’s Mission and Vision and demonstrate fulfillment of the Strategic Plan. 
  • Encourage membership and community engagement in matters of Manatee District School Board’s governance. 
  • Convene programs on educational issues and take part in collaborative efforts. 
  • Monitor the impact of state legislation on teaching and learning locally.

School Board Meeting Observation Notes

The League of Women Voters of Manatee County Education Issues Committee observes the School Board of Manatee County meetings for items of interest to citizens and to the League, and notes adherence, or lack of adherence, to good governance procedures and the Sunshine Law. School Board Meeting Observation Notes can be read by clicking on the PDF links below:

06 17 2025 LWV MC School Board SPECIAL Meeting Observation Report

06 10 2025 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report 

05 29 2025 LWV MC School Board SPECIAL Meeting Observation Report

05 20 2025 LWV MC School Board SPECIAL Meeting Observation Report

05 20 2025 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

04 29 2025 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

04 08 2025 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

03 11 2025 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

02 11 2025 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

10 29 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

10 24 2024 LWV MC Conversation with Dr. Wysong Summary

10 22 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

09 24 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

09 10 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

08 27 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

08 06 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

07 30 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

06 25 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

06 11 2024 LWVMC School Board Meeting Observation Report

05 28 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

05 14 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

04 23 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

04 09 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

03 19 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

02 27 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

02 13 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

01 30 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

01 16 2024 LWV MC School Board Meeting Observation Report

Read our Declarations, Position Papers, Reports, and Executive Summaries below:

Library Media Materials Declaration
Library Media Materials Position Paper
Keep School Board Elections Non-Partisan in Florida
Keep School Board Elections Non-Partisan
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Executive Summary
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Education
Authentic History Resources
 
07-30-24 2023-24 FLDOE School and District Accountability Updates

 

Education Issues Action Team Accomplishments for 2023-2024 to date:

  • Action Team Members made a public comment to the Manatee School Board and distributed a position paper: Library Media Materials Recommendations Post-HB 1069, August 22, 2023 and read into the record: Declaration Regarding School Media Center and Classroom Library Materials based upon the position paper.
  • Completed and distributed to Superintendent Wysong An Inquiry into Horizons Academy Main Campus by the NAACP and League of Women Voters of Manatee County 2021-2023 on 8/16/23. Follow-up meetings with the Superintendent and staff are ongoing to monitor progress of recommendation implementation.
  • In collaboration with NAACP, Action Team members compiled: Authentic History Resources Gathered by the Authentic History Task Force, 8/11/23.
  • Continuing School Board Observations Reports given to School Board members and the Superintendent and published by The Bradenton Times and WSLR News.

Education Issues Action Team Accomplishments for 2022-2023:

  • Provided School Board Observation Reports to School Board members and the Superintendent after each of their general meetings, giving them feedback on governance and adherence to sunshine 
behaviors. These reports are also published in The Bradenton Times.
  • Invited Dr. Sara Stitzlein, University of Cincinnati professor and author, to share her research and work on the importance of public education to an inclusive democracy through a statewide LWV session and a follow up study group session.
  • Hosted the November 14, 2022, Hot Topic featuring FL LWV’s Education Issues co-chair titled The Impact of Recent Florida Education Legislation.
  • Partnered with Manatee County NAACP on the continued inquiry into the placement practices, student experiences during and after placement, at Manatee District’s Horizons Academy, alternative placement program. Awaiting results of five-year demographic records request from the district.
  • Successfully impacted uniformity of administration of the school district’s current Code of Conduct and schools’ behavior plans.
  • Attended the FL LWV’s Education Issues statewide meetings to share information, practices, and issues. This resulted in Sarasota County’s LWV initiating a School Board Observation Cadre patterned after ours.

Hot Topics Presentation – Charter Schools Accountability for Finances and Success – February 20,2020
A panel discussion. Shirley Brown, Sarasota County School Board, Mitchell Teitelbaum, Manatee School District General Council, Frank Pistella, Director of District Support. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RBjfUi1HPI
Handout Materials from the February 2020 Hot Topics presentation on Charter School Accountability

Reference materials on charter schools https://lwvmanatee.org/charter-schools-references-of-interest/
Statistics and ratings on Manatee County charter schools Click Here


Join the Education Committee! Contact Merrie Lynn Parker at ml.chickp@verizon.net


The League of Women Voters of Florida’s ISSUES FOR ACTION include:
  • Promote adequate funding of public education with no use of public funding for the expansion of funding of private education through a voucher program.
  • Support a curricular framework that includes broad common standards developed by educational experts that serves as a guide to local districts, including the historic mandates to teach Holocaust, antisemitism and African American History, and associated messages of tolerance and understanding, and the new standard to teach civics.
  • Support the increased oversight of the development and implementation of charter school contracts with regard to administrative fees, facility contracts, teacher salaries and benefits, and instructional innovation, independence of charter board members, and unmet need in the district. Require charter school contracts to stipulate how capital outlay funding and the assets they purchase will be recouped by the school district if the charter school should close or if the building is sold.
  • Support a statewide assessment and accountability system that provides valid data and appropriate intervals to measure student progress for all students and schools that receive public funds directly and indirectly. Data should be used to identify areas where increased support is needed.
  • Support higher standards for early childhood education staff and programs.
  • Charter school quality, management, and cost-efficiency. See statewide study on school choice here.
  • Constitutionality of direct and indirect funding to support private schools.
  • Impact of testing and school grade policies on teaching, learning, and curriculum.
  • Impact of school choice on school racial and economic segregation and local control of education policy.
  • Support any legislation that promotes diversity and nondiscrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, nationality, and ability status in all publicly funded schools. Oppose any legislation that aims to give tax dollars to private schools that discriminate (in policy or in practice) based on those criteria.

 

 
 
Also Visit

League of Women Voters of Florida Education 

Twenty years later: The Jeb Bush A+ Plan Fails Florida’s Students

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LWV Manatee
P.O. Box 545
Bradenton, FL 34206
Telephone: (941) 744-9692
Email: info@lwvmanatee.org

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Important Links

  • League of Women Voters of the US
  • League of Women Voters of Florida
  • Supervisor of Elections of Manatee County

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