Summary:
Zip code 34203 in Bradenton, Florida, is home to two high schools within the Manatee school district: a large traditional public school and a small alternative program serving grades 6 through 12.
Braden River High School is the primary traditional high school in the area, enrolling 1,705 students in grades 9-12. It holds a 3-star state rating and boasts a strong 94.1% graduation rate, outperforming both the district (87.6%) and state (92.2%) averages. However, its state percentile rank has declined over the past three years, from the 65th to the 54th percentile. While the school excels in Biology and US History, it struggles significantly in math, with only 28% of students proficient in Algebra 1 and 39% in Geometry, well below state averages. Chronic absenteeism stands at 26.9%, which is lower than the state average, and the school spends $9,739 per student.
In stark contrast, Amikids Manatee is a very small alternative school with only 38 students, serving a high-needs population where 89.5% qualify for free or reduced lunch. This school lacks state test scores and a graduation rate, making direct academic comparisons impossible. A significant red flag is its combination of high needs and lower resources: it has a chronic absenteeism rate of 51.6%, a very high student-teacher ratio of 38:1, and spends only $6,328 per student—over $3,400 less than Braden River. This disparity suggests the district may need to evaluate resource allocation for its at-risk students.
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