MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – When the school bell rings Monday signaling the start of the 2024-25 school year, Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) anticipates record enrollment in the district’s 155-year history.

The district is projecting 45,873 students in Marion County classrooms this year, nearly 1,400 more than last year.

MCPS says the student breakdown includes:

  • 21,921 elementary school
  • 10,305 middle school
  • 13,647 high school

Wyomina Park Elementary opened three weeks ago on a modified school calendar as part of a state pilot program testing year-round schooling. MCPS says attendance there has surpassed 93% on several days, which they say is slightly above last year’s daily district average.

Teaching vacancies

The district says it still has 83 teaching vacancies.

School start times

The morning bell times are different for most schools this year, especially at middle and high school levels. Most elementary schools begin at 7:35 a.m., high schools between 8:30 a.m. – 9:05 a.m., and middle schools at 9:20 a.m.

MCPS says these changes were made to foster more on-time bus routes and to meet a new state law taking effect next year impacting school start times.

Bus routes

“Bus transportation is always a major challenge for a school district geographically larger than the state of Rhode Island – 1,650 square miles,” said MCPS in a news release.

MCPS will run about 250 bus routes on the first day for 34,000 students who are eligible to ride the bus.

School administrators say they will continue emphasizing daily attendance and in September will kick off a campaign. “Be Present, Be Powerful!” will educate students, families, and the community about the connection between school attendance and achievement.

School lunches

Students at 54 district schools including Marion County will o serve free breakfast and lunch to every student who wants food, regardless of income. That’s possible through a Community Eligibility Provision initiative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

New educational programs

New programs are launching in the MCPS system this year:

  • Fort King Middle’s RISE Artificial Intelligence Program emphasizing Artificial Intelligence along with robotics, science, and engineering
  • South Ocala Elementary’s International Baccalaureate (IB) academy that feeds into similar middle and high school programs
  • Howard Middle’s new Academy of Fine Arts in addition to its existing IB program
  • Lake Weir High’s pre-apprenticeship program for students involved in the school’s construction program

MCPS’s new partnership with Space Florida to establish an academy program focused on developing the skills to work in the aerospace industry. Once established the program will involve 22 other Florida school districts.