The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Math. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on William Monroe Rowlett Academy for Arts and Communication
William Monroe Rowlett Academy for Arts and Communication is a charter elementary school in Bradenton serving kindergarten through fifth grade. As a charter school, it operates within the Manatee County school district but with its own governance, and its arts and communication identity shapes the program emphasis families should expect from the start.
The school draws a sizeable enrollment for an elementary of its grade band, spread relatively evenly across the six grade levels. The student body is racially and ethnically mixed: white students make up roughly half the enrollment, Hispanic students account for about a third, Black students a smaller share, and the remaining students are multiracial or of other backgrounds. Close to half of all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, meaning the school serves a meaningful economically diverse population. Data on English learner and special education populations were not reported in the available records, so families with students in those categories may want to ask the school directly about those services.
On Florida's FAST assessments, the school's results in math and ELA across third, fourth, and fifth grades range from roughly half of students reaching proficiency to somewhat above that mark. Fourth-grade math stands out as the strongest result across all reported grades and subjects. Science scores for fifth graders, measured by the Florida Statewide Science Assessment, sit near the midpoint of the state scale. The school does not appear in a meaningful county-level comparison because Manatee County has only one district for comparison purposes, so there is no county peer group to benchmark against. Trend data across years was not available in the current records, making it hard to say whether these results reflect improvement, stability, or decline. A parent wanting a fuller trajectory should ask the school for its state accountability history.
The arts and communication focus is the core identity of this school, and publicly reported information describes it as a school where visual arts, performing arts, and communication skills are woven into the academic program. For families who see that integration as a priority at the elementary level, the school's structure is a genuine differentiator from a conventional neighborhood school.
The surrounding zip code's housing market has been softening. Home values in the area have declined from their recent peak, and rents have also pulled back over the past year. Both values remain above the national midpoint but have dipped below the broader Florida state benchmark. The current environment means buyers are in a less pressured market than a couple of years ago, though affordability relative to income remains stretched. The school sits on the east side of Bradenton, which is a city anchored by a downtown historic core along the Manatee River, the publicly reported Village of the Arts district, and a mix of older residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. Bradenton is the Manatee County seat and home to major employers including the school district itself, Tropicana's flagship plant, Bealls, and First Watch. The city is growing steadily, and the broader metro area has seen a wave of new apartment construction.
The parent district, Manatee County Schools, has several things worth knowing. Voters in late 2024 renewed a one-mill property tax referendum that publicly reported accounts say funds teacher salary supplements, an additional instructional period each day, STEM and career-technical programs, arts, athletics, early literacy, and school safety. As a charter school, Rowlett Academy is explicitly listed as a beneficiary of those referendum funds. The district is also in the middle of redrawing attendance zones district-wide in response to enrollment growth, though charter school enrollment typically operates through a separate application process rather than zone assignment. Families should confirm directly with the school how enrollment and waitlists work. The district has also installed AI-based weapon-detection systems at its high schools and randomly at middle schools as a security update; this does not apply to elementary campuses directly, but reflects the broader district posture on safety.
For a family drawn to arts integration at the elementary level, comfortable with a charter structure, and looking at the east Bradenton area, Rowlett Academy offers a clear programmatic purpose. The academic results sit at a middle range statewide, and a parent may want to ask the school how arts integration connects to its literacy and math outcomes specifically.
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