2023 Best High Schools in Manatee County

• Bradenton, FL•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.48 out of 5  84 reviews

Parent: IMG was an unexpected blessing for our son and family. While our son came to IMG as a very good athlete who previously had exposure to some very good coaching, the connection that track Coach’s Larry Ryan and Mark Napier made with him, took him to another level as a person and athlete. Just as important, was the exposure to high aiming and achieving kids from all over the world. I am excited to see how his life will benefit from the experience, exposure and network….and yes he signed a D1 Scholarship to a power 5 school! Thank you IMG!... Read 84 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,299

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Bradenton, FL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.29 out of 5  90 reviews

Parent: Our son started this year, we had multiple factors that we considered in choosing SSES. The biggest one being how well he can be challenged & pushed to meet or exceed his potential. We held our child back a year because the curriculum is advanced & we wanted him to have time to adjust this year into the school. Best choice we made & love that the school is as advanced as they are. He is very smart & is challenged in places he needs to be without feeling the stress of feeling pushed. The teachers are professional and smart and adjust to the child's needs individually in order to help them advance to their highest potential. The class volume is low and the curriculum content is higher than public schooling even at this early school age. We are so confident he will advance year by year to prep for college with the best potential from school. SSES is the best school we could have picked by far & we are so proud that this is in our hometown. Best choice we could have made as a parent!... Read 90 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 732

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  182 reviews

Senior: I liked that the academics were more challenging and focused on preparing you for college. I learned a lot that helped me in my college classes. I also liked that the school was smaller and had fewer students. The teachers are very attentive and helpful to each individual student. A benefit of going to this school is that you get ahead in your education since you also graduate with your associate's degree. In your junior and senior years, you take all college classes. This can be hard but I think it is worth it. What is not great about the school is that there are not as many electives or after-school activities provided as in other schools. There are no sports teams or big developed clubs. The school has Key Club and NHS but I think they could be run better. They have recently added some clubs and enrichment classes for drama, dance, foreign language, drawing, and music.... Read 182 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 508

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• PK, 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.82 out of 5  399 reviews

Senior: I liked being involved in the basketball program there. The coaches and staff are extremely supportive and help us in areas other than our sport. They always say they are helping us become great men in our community. The thing that I would like to see change is an upgrade and remodel of the buildings and bathrooms. The bathrooms really need to be redone! Also, I would really like to see a change in their food options. A little more variety and healthier options would be great.... Read 399 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 2,433

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Bradenton, FL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  92 reviews

Senior: Bradenton Christian School allowed me to enhance various aspects during my six years as a student. I was able to experience a great education while experiencing spiritual growth that I will be to carry on into my future. I had an enjoyable time surrounded with great classmates and teachers. I would hope that in the upcoming years BCS will be more flexible and encourage students to develop their creativity and ideas through engagement in class decisions, a broader variety of class options and club/activities. I can't wait to see what the future holds for BCS. GO PANTHERS!... Read 92 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 852

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  571 reviews

Senior: I love my counsler and my teachers- senior year has been great. Braden River even has a unique school rule about not stepping on the grass within the courtyard. However, with that unusual rules come some more ridiculous ones. No leggings, no hair color, and basically no shorts. I say "basically no shorts" because it has to be well past your finger tip- or you risk getting called on it. Most of the student population ends up wearing jeans or sweats, but luckily they have great air conditioning!... Read 571 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,829

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  293 reviews

Middle School Student: Manatee School for the Arts, MSA, has been a staple of my life. From the lovely teachers and staff to the opportunities, MSA is a wonderful school for teens learning who they are and who they want to be. The second I set foot into MSA I knew I was in the right place. For me, the best part of MSA is the chance to stand side-by-side with my friends and deliver a unique performance to our audience. Although, I do believe improvements can and should be made. Firstly, students need to be given a bigger voice. The school is for the students; therefore, the students' opinions should be one of the major deciding factors in school decisions. The discipline procedure at MSA is also in need of improvement. For instance, if a few students have been disruptive, the entire class is punished. The students who have taken part in the disruptive behavior shall be the only ones facing consequences. Overall MSA has been a joy, and I am proud to be able to say that I attend Manatee School for the Arts.... Read 293 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,897

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Bradenton, FL•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.4 out of 5  10 reviews

Senior: This school is simply transformative! I have grown as a person by finding my identity while strengthening my walk with Christ. The love poured into my life by my mentors the past 5 years of my attendance is priceless. My life has been impacted beyond measure through the care provided and family I have created at this school. I recommend this school to anyone who wants a personalized atmosphere and nurturing environment to learn and thrive in!... Read 10 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 98

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.83 out of 5  344 reviews

Alum: I’m giving Southeast a solid 4/5 stars just because it’s actually a good- and better than usually described- high school. It gets a bad rep for being a “low grade” school, but I don’t think I’ve ever been to a high school quite like Southeast (and I’ve been to 3). While not every school is perfect, and Southeast does leave much to be desired for its lack of resources (not the schools fault though), they do the best with what they have and really try to bring opportunities to students. I mean, I don’t think there’s another school in the Manatee district that has a culinary department. And they truly try to close the gap between low-income students academia wise, and provide such a diverse school population that everyone feels welcome at— no matter where you’re from and your background. Rich, poor, black, white, and all the in-between, Southeast has it and I really, truly appreciate that.... Read 344 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,767

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  314 reviews

Sophomore: As a current student at Manatee, I feel that their college readiness and preparation is emphasized. There are many opportunities for students to sign-up for scholarships, testing, courses, and meetings that will prepare them for a bright future. For example, our dual enrollment program allows students to get college credit for in-state schools on and off campus starting as early as sophomore year. Students can take courses through State College of Florida (SCF) or Manatee Technical College (MTC) in Bradenton, as well as University of South Florida (USF). Any peer I've talked to that is a part of this program has only good things to say.... Read 314 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 2,199

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Bradenton, FL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  12 reviews

Parent: Wonderful school with small classroom sizes. Teachers love the Lord and are committed to teaching. The music program is amazing!... Read 12 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 373

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  332 reviews

Senior: Palmetto High will forever be in my heart I have grown and changed so much from being there! The staff is absolutely amazing and is willing to go out of their way to help anyone. They are one of the major reasons the school is so great is because you can see how much they love the school along with the students in it. Also, Palmetto High has been around for about 65 years so it has a very hometown feel. They also offer great academic opportunities like the AICE program which is 1 of 2 in the state! Personally, I would recommend the AICE program for anyone starting high school, it is so rewarding and worth it in the end! Palmetto as well as that has a huge diversity of students from all different backgrounds, and its amazing that we all come together! If I would find one thing to change about the schools that there is no "middle ground" like you are taking these rigorous AICE classes or put in the intermediate. I feel as if we need an in-between for students to feel comfortable in.... Read 332 reviews

• grade B

• Students 2,065

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Senior: The school is more hands on with students , people you meet there you get to know for the rest of your life til you leave that school. The school is also kindergarten through high school which makes it better because all your siblings can go to the same school. Although there aren’t many classes as a regular high school they still add new classes every year like acting and art history . The teachers there don’t give up on you until you pass which is like that with every single grade. This school makes it every single way easier and if your a senior they’ll make sure you have everything for colleges or technical schools. Also if you pass your fsa tests you get paid for passing , it depends on your grade. Let’s say you get 5 it’s $300 or a perfect score which is $1000 , lowest is a 3 for $50. Overall this school is a good school from any grade range and are also opening a new campus for high school and middle school next year.... Read 6 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 995

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.57 out of 5  196 reviews

Senior: My overall experience at Bayshore High school has been phenomenal. Bayshore has wonderful staff and administration,you can have a friendly conversation with teachers, staff and administration. Everyone always has a smile on their face and they are always ready to uplift you with inspiration and wisdom. You learn a lot academically. Teachers are more than happy to help you with your work, or to listen to you whenever you are having life problems. Bayshore is more than a school, Bayshore is a community where the students there have a chance to become future trailblazers and humanitarians. Bayshore is a haven where students go to be free an to get the chance to get the educational experience that many others does not get the chance to experience.... Read 196 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 1,447

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  15 reviews

Senior: AMAZING classes here! We have so many electives including classes in health, engineering, film/photography, technical theater, theater, commercial art, law studies, marketing/business, music, and more. Administration is not as laid back as other high schools in manatee county, but our student government has been able to put on a lot of fun activities like bonfires, tailgates, dances, etc. Our sport teams are super talented, and we have a variety of clubs. Students are even able to start clubs as well.... Read 15 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 1,110

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• W. Bradenton, FL•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• grade A

• Students 66

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Lakewood Ranch , FL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: My son has Asperger's and after attending several schools that didn't work for him, he attended Pinnacle Academy for five years from eighth onward. He found, what he describes as “a home” at Pinnacle. Pinnacle Academy has a nurturing environment and a unique ability to truly teach each student’s individual learning styles within a classroom. There is such a positive vibe on campus, you know everyone that works there loves what they do, but also has a deep commitment to every student and family that attends Pinnacle. My son flourished at Pinnacle and is currently a college freshman living on campus.... Read 1 review

• grade B minus

• Students 123

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• PK, K-12

• grade unavailable

• Students 424

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Bradenton, FL•

• Private School•

• 3-12

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: I liked the teachers there since they make learning enjoyable. There are less than 125 students so the small school size is a plus since a lot of kids here feel lost in a large school. The student / teacher ratio is good also. This school has no homework which is a plus to most students here. If you finish your work during the day, then you don't have the homework. Otherwise you need to complete the work at home. Most teachers respond to email fairly quickly when students or parents have a questions about something like an assignment, field trip, etc.. Yes, there are opportunities to go on different types of field trips each year. This makes learning more fun with the hand-on learning. The results on the standardized testing is hard to read and understand even if you have a college degree.... Read 2 reviews

• grade unavailable

• Students 79

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Senior: PACE is very good at individualizing and keeping track with certain girls. We are able to work at our own pace. The advisers and counselors are also very good at making sure the girls are keeping up with their work and making goals with us to accomplish what we want in highschool.... Read 1 review

• grade unavailable

• Students 60

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• PK, 7-12

• grade unavailable

• Students 46

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Palmetto, FL•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Middle School Student: Help kids have a better future and become something usefully and the teacher there can be on there nerves but they learn to push through and never give up hard work pays off... Read 1 review

• grade unavailable

• Students 44

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Bowling Green, FL•

• Private School•

• K-12

• grade unavailable

• Students 33

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• PK, K-12

• grade unavailable

• Students 32

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1

• Manatee County School District, FL•

• 6-12

• grade unavailable

• Students 29

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1