District named grant finalist

The Manatee County School District is a top contender for a grant that could land the district $28.7 million.

The U.S. Department of Education has announced that Manatee is one of 61 finalists out of thousands of grant applications vying for 20 to 25 grants totaling up to $400 million.

"We have a ways to go, but this is a great way to start the week," said Doug Wagner, the district's director of adult, career and technical education.

Manatee's application includes funding for technology labs at elementary schools, as well as an addition to Manatee Technical Institute, called the Technology Zone, among other provisions.

Grant winners were expected to be named by Dec. 20, but the DOE expects a delay in the announcement in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].