Through a collaborative effort with Sarasota County Emergency Management, Sarasota County Schools has received a $1,057,700.00 grant from the Florida Division of Emergency Management to make improvements to select schools currently serving as hurricane evacuation centers. The grant also provides funding to add Taylor Ranch Elementary as a mid-county shelter location. 

Throughout the 2020 calendar year, Taylor Ranch Elementary, Fruitville Elementary, Gulf Gate Elementary and North Port High School will undergo improvements to ensure the continued safety of evacuees during a hurricane. Upgrades to these school sites will include wind impact protection for all windows, mesh impact barriers in exterior areas, including stairways and outdoor restrooms, and improved drainage systems. 

The school district will also retrofit Taylor Ranch Elementary to make it the 12th general population hurricane evacuation center in the county. This location will better serve mid-county residents. The grant calls for an engineer to assess and make structural recommendations for Taylor Ranch Elementary to serve as an evacuation center. In addition, it enables the District to replace and install impact windows, wind impact screens, mesh debris barrier systems and improved roof and drainage systems. The upgrades to Taylor Ranch Elementary will add space for approximately 1,280 evacuees in the event of a high-impact hurricane.