The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Math. The lowest is 46% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Brentwood Elementary School
Brentwood Elementary is a public PreK-through-fifth-grade school in Sarasota, Florida, part of the Sarasota County School District. The school is in the middle of a consequential transition: the district's school board unanimously approved a plan, publicly reported in late 2025, to convert Brentwood into a K-8 campus beginning in 2026, with STEAM and Cambridge program additions. That structural change is the single most important thing a family choosing this school today should understand. What Brentwood looks like in its current form as a stand-alone elementary will shift substantially within the near term.
On academic performance, the school's most recent FAST results give a mixed picture. Math proficiency holds up reasonably well in third and fourth grade, where a clear majority of students tested at or above the proficiency standard. By fifth grade, the math rate steps down noticeably. Reading tells a harder story. Third-grade ELA proficiency comes in just above half, fourth grade improves somewhat, and fifth grade drops to well below half of students meeting the standard. Fifth-grade science proficiency also came in below half. These results trail what many families expect of an elementary school, and a parent may want to ask the school directly about what supports are in place for students reading or working below grade level. It is worth noting that the district switched from the prior Florida Standards Assessment to the new FAST assessment in recent years, so year-over-year comparisons carry some uncertainty. No multi-year trend data was available.
The school draws a sizeable student body for its grade band. White students make up the largest share of enrollment, followed by Hispanic students, then Black students, with smaller Asian and multiracial populations. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places Brentwood among schools serving a high share of economically disadvantaged families. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available in the data provided.
The surrounding area is part of Sarasota's broader growth story. Home values near the school have edged down modestly over the past year, consistent with a countywide market that appears to be cooling after a period of rapid appreciation. Rents have also slipped slightly year over year. Even so, prices sit above both state and national midpoints, reflecting Sarasota's desirability as a Gulf Coast city. The rent-to-income ratio in this zip code runs high by national standards, which matters for families weighing the cost of living alongside school choice.
Sarasota itself is a city of genuine civic and cultural substance. The downtown core has a walkable commercial and arts district, bayfront parks, and a strong health care and education employment base anchored by Sarasota Memorial Health Care System and the school district. Publicly reported figures describe the metro area as one of the faster-growing regions in the country, driven by retirees, remote workers, and families relocating from other states. That growth has put pressure on schools and housing alike.
At the district level, voters renewed a property tax millage in 2024 through 2030, a commitment that funds teacher recruitment and retention, extended instruction time, arts, and career programs across the district. A portion of those funds is now shared with charter schools. The district also completed a curriculum transition to Florida's B.E.S.T. Standards, which replaced the prior Common Core framework in both ELA and math over the past few years.
The K-8 conversion plan is worth unpacking further for any family in Brentwood's attendance zone. The district cited underused building capacity and a state law allowing charter operators to co-locate in schools with available space as the drivers behind the restructuring. Adding grades six through eight, along with new programming, is intended to fill that space and bring a different academic identity to the campus. What that means in practice for the culture of the school, staffing, and programming continuity during the transition years is a question worth putting directly to the school or the district before enrolling.
See more original research from School Decision →