Ten Things to Know About Booker High School

1. Booker High School is the most diverse school in Sarasota County with a demographic makeup of 39% Hispanic, 28% Caucasian, 27% African-American, 5% mixed ethnicity and less than 1% “other.”
2. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of the students are economically disadvantaged.
3. Booker High School’s graduation rate has increased by 32% during the past eight years.  This impressive achievement has been accomplished in spite of the majority of students entering the 9th grade at substantially below grade-level.
4. Booker High School has the only school-wide comprehensive college and career readiness program in Sarasota County which has been in existence for the past 15 years.
5. Booker High School is the only Sarasota county high school to offer college scholarships to eligible students.
6. Booker High School is second only to Pineview School in the number of submitted student applications for federal student financial aid.
7. Booker High School has the largest percentage of minority and economically challenged students who pursue post-secondary education.
8. Booker High School is the only Sarasota County high school to have formal college and career readiness partnerships with University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, New College, State College of Florida, Suncoast Technical College and Ringing College of Art + Design.
9. Booker High School is the only Sarasota County high school with direct admission agreements with University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee and New College of Florida.
10. Booker High School is led by its principal, Dr. Rachel Shelley – Florida’s 2017 Principal of   the Year, 2018 Principal of the Year – Florida Association of Secondary School Principals and 2019 Principal of the Year – Florida Arts Education Association.