BRADENTON – At Monday's meeting, the Manatee County School Board unanimously approved Rowlett Elementary's application to become the county's first conversion charter school. The vote came following Superintendent Rick Mills' recommendation of approval and an overwhelming vote from parents and teachers to take the district magnet school charter. 

Beginning in the fall of 2014, the school will be known as William Monroe Rowlett Academy of Arts and Communication.

In June, teachers voted 57-4 to convert to a charter school. 480 of 502 parents also voted in favor of the transition.

A community and parent advisory board will have control over the school's finances and curriculum. The district must allow the school to keep its location and cover most building expenses. The school will receive approximately 95 percent of its current funding and says that it will use private fund-raising to cover administrative expenses currently provided by the district. 

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