[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6375935,"mediaKeyId","2140724-95c0f278e7a06ff5c1381f681dc79f6b","parentId",2140724,"title","School board reviews legislative platforms; asks consortium to drop private‑school accountability language","audioSeconds",1924,"startMs",7004000,"endMs",8928000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2140724-95c0f278e7a06ff5c1381f681dc79f6b&start=7004&end=8928","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2140724-95c0f278e7a06ff5c1381f681dc79f6b/thumbnail_7004000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6375935/Florida/School-board-reviews-legislative-platforms-asks-consortium-to-drop-privateschool-accountability-language","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375935-6a782e3db940b93837d4b19f9d19ee80/orig.mp4?Expires=1775424882&Signature=hhC0Oor0NOtZuEM2k1kFI0NPM5vGe3VlI0FCWNz8-i-DUnZCu6GDXQSoCQRQjgGXycDc1UId~5d61X5cxtgfAIYiaM21IjbjLyFqjrTYJEu15LnV26ytWxwrtVbF54-jHadI~HEAMEADPkog9T6Ki-rgMoCF8kGEhYLF~5sgD0tYGcnvAZQ6DKcZ3LZY5Br7qzWu0Dv6B1R2L9t5gm7RvNvTwxrVTdSXqEowr7JgTB20o1Ri6LOJ7GfFmhtB1a0uOdKh6rnvV4twSzSkaDcAGHJzKo2eRiL000Z36uTtTX71JwlBjJVkBM4Zh3YYoGzjKJ2YRowA1zFcBVPRMpOgqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Brevard County School Board","date","2025-01-22T09:29:20Z","article","The Brevard County School Board reviewed draft legislative platforms from statewide and regional education associations during its Jan. 21 session and agreed to ask the Greater Florida consortium to remove one line members found problematic.

What happened: Board members examined platform documents from the Greater Florida consortium, the Florida School Board Association (FSBA) and the Florida Association of District Superintendents (FADS). During discussion the board focused on a consortium item that reads, in part, to “require all schools that receive taxpayer dollars to have the same financial and academic accountability measures.” Several members said the sentence could be read to impose state academic testing and reporting requirements on private schools that accept scholarship dollars.

“I’m not sure that … when it comes to choice, I’m not sure that that is a good idea,” said Miss Wright, who voiced concern that the language could force private schools into the state’s academic-accountability framework. The board agreed to ask the consortium to remove that sentence from its platform and flagged the issue to the consortium representative.

Key policy directions discussed
- Accountability language: Board members supported financial accountability for any school that accepts taxpayer funds, but expressed hesitation about requiring identical academic-accountability measures for private schools; the board asked staff to request removal of the contested sentence.
- Teacher pay and funding: Board members discussed teacher compensation, wage compression and recruitment concerns. The board asked staff to pursue two funding items in legislative outreach: (1) a request to increase the state base-student allocation (BSA) (many platforms request a 5% increase), and (2) an increase to teacher-salary-increase allocations (TSIA) while preserving flexibility so districts can target wage compression and mid-career pay adjustments.
- Certified pre-K and capital funding: board members expressed support for certified prekindergarten expansion language and for measures that make voter-approved capital millage renewals and referendum timing more flexible.

Board direction and next steps
Board members asked staff to notify the consortium that Brevard objects to the sentence on equal academic accountability for all taxpayer-funded schools and to supply staff direction to the superintendent’s office to pursue the two funding asks (BSA increase and TSIA flexibility) in conversations with the local legislative delegation. The board chair or designee said she would contact the consortium representative to request the revision.

No formal platform votes were recorded during the meeting. Board members discussed logistics for the coming delegation meeting and agreed on follow-up communications before the local delegation convenes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Work Session 1-21-25","oneSentenceSummary","The Brevard County School Board reviewed draft legislative platforms from statewide and regional education associations during its Jan. 21 meeting and asked the Greater Florida consortium to remove a sentence on identical accountability for taxpayer-funded schools.","taxTitle","Brevard, School Districts, Florida","taxId",15572,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6375941,"Student services reports lower referrals, fewer missed-instruction days; board asks for targeted school support",3805,2586000,6391000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2140724-95c0f278e7a06ff5c1381f681dc79f6b&start=2586&end=6391","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2140724-95c0f278e7a06ff5c1381f681dc79f6b/thumbnail_2586000.jpg","/articles/6375941/Florida/Student-services-reports-lower-referrals-fewer-missed-instruction-days-board-asks-for-targeted-school-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375941-ea76b730abfef5a6b3b20919222e7398/orig.mp4?Expires=1775424882&Signature=eNmRF5C9R~7uC48a02RM69BOS8FuyYSWH~VNX8KXylekbgBBcpY5e5hLV~6ytwvYZicm~PQ7N60UIykXnXDCuW0vecsJHkk6ZavVpMRU7dMMQZMGARmRumGNLM9XLTTUohLpdfLy8fpXPPzlg08EV0Dl38bt2sC2ZcWdIoVNbSuesUfcgcNa~1sy6R4SmMzZsrkhkWjd~HljE1HuEFwirI6nDbkuBkAiCMTynGmQMoUVPvffz-75LWU7gnyz~9KXKflTg741HNfElX8E-4PsFjmEcuQnlQkdh8pWyLRSefCg~B0Fnf0HqXeewJENeO32EjOW51NzcZOfb8p8fITT8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Student Services staff presented first-semester discipline, bullying/harassment and Title IX data Jan. 21 and told the Brevard County School Board that several key indicators improved compared with the previous year’s first semester.

“What we’ve actually seen is some decrease in our overall total referral count — approximately reducing by 4% from this time last year,” said Mr. Armstrong, a Student Services staff presenter. Staff said the district also saw a decline in office-discipline-referrals and fewer days of in-school suspension; district leadership summarized combined reductions in missed-instruction days.

Why it matters: Fewer referrals and fewer suspension days typically keep more students in class and reduce instructional loss. Staff tied the improvements to summer and ongoing trainings, changes to reporting forms and a revised process for handling bullying, harassment and Title IX reports.

Key data and program changes presented
- Referrals: staff reported roughly a 4% decrease in total referrals for semester 1 compared with the prior-year semester (staff presented the percent reduction; transcript totals were reported by staff as approximations).
- Office discipline referrals (ODRs): staff reported a decline (staff noted a roughly 7% reduction from the prior-year semester).
- Days of missed instruction: district leadership highlighted a net reduction of 932 fewer total suspension days at the point-in-time comparison presented (in‑school suspension days decreased substantially; out‑of‑school suspension days showed a small uptick of 365 days).
- Alternative placements and home education: of 257 students recommended for alternative placement in semester 1, staff said 77% (198 students) elected district alternative-learning centers (ALCs) rather than home education or other options.
- Bullying and harassment investigation process: staff reported a 30% decrease in unsubstantiated bullying reports, attributed to clearer definitions, improved training, new videos and streamlined forms to reduce reporting errors. Staff also said they tightened triage procedures so Title IX consultation occurs only when district staff cannot resolve a triage question internally.

What staff changed and why
Student Services leaders described a set of summer trainings for administrators, teachers and bus drivers, monthly follow-up trainings and targeted de-escalation and functional-behavior-assessment training. They said administrators now have on-demand video resources and consolidated checklists to reduce reporting mistakes and that the district changed the way unsubstantiated incidents are recorded so they are not attached to student discipline records.

Board reaction and follow-up requests
Board members praised the trends and asked for targeted help at “hot-spot” schools with higher rates of ALC recommendations. “That chart … makes it pretty easy to see where the hot pockets are,” said Miss Wright, a board member, and she urged district staff to consider providing focused supports (for example additional behavior specialists or in-school alternatives) at schools with concentrated discipline placements. Several board members urged more consistent follow-up for bus-driver referrals and suggested better documentation and timestamps so drivers can track the referral outcome.

Next steps
Staff said they will continue monthly training, add scenario-based work in assistant-principal trainings, expand resources (including an FAQ and recorded Q&A sessions for administrators), and look into training for clerks and dean’s clerks who manage paperwork. Staff also flagged planned agenda items for the coming months (training office hours, prototype contract items for facilities were discussed in the previous presentation) and asked the board for continued oversight on discipline-related supports.

No formal votes were taken on discipline policy at the meeting; staff requested continued board direction and reported they will return with further data and program recommendations.","Student Services staff presented first-semester discipline, bullying/harassment and Title IX data Jan. 21 and told the Brevard County School Board that several key indicators improved compared with the previous year’s first semester.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6375945,"Brevard schools outline $47 million plan to add classrooms in fast-growing South Brevard",1391,342000,1733000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2140724-95c0f278e7a06ff5c1381f681dc79f6b&start=342&end=1733","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2140724-95c0f278e7a06ff5c1381f681dc79f6b/thumbnail_342000.jpg","/articles/6375945/Florida/Brevard-schools-outline-47-million-plan-to-add-classrooms-in-fast-growing-South-Brevard","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375945-7855e69b98441ce81573e46c494415af/orig.mp4?Expires=1775424882&Signature=jdIOpNbl63xV1jAcUdmzVyNGCDNaUx-4qKNwFORHq3YYcm~Wvekoy9QAjdLhmopBIeYxj2uraVbUyD0c4gF8q1TBlgUwQbkuyBsXhwD4qcfUuB7EsmlrgDKAjxurdmOG9X84LyT7YYvvyPMZXhnajJGlzV0jVMMG6ap4GNGvNRT-h1YzXyRs-dsp1fdgomjQ8YlHGroKQczYndp06IAU1ETYu5v~brJXOtZjb0E0GQeUVZvHZipKBZMGpndt9XLolZuQva7WFlUBLZ0PpLRmIWhVqvqWiUWwHaw79-xTdLrW0F0QAKW3VRA9W8TSvmgbLquE-0rTPaJcuCnx20R66g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff presented a multi-year plan Jan. 21 to add capacity in South Brevard — primarily serving Palm Bay — that would add classroom buildings at Westside Elementary, build a new Bayside high school and convert Sunrise Elementary into a K–8 model.

The district said the work is intended to respond to rapid development around the St. John’s Heritage Parkway interchange and other areas of Palm Bay. “The size and scope of the development activity in Palm Bay is really kind of analogous to what has happened in Viera over the years,” said Sue Hann, a district staff presenter, describing proposed and in-progress residential developments and a large number of quarter-acre platted lots.

Why it matters: The group of proposed projects — district staff estimated a combined cost of roughly $47,000,000 — would be funded largely from South Area educational impact fees collected by Brevard County. The district said it has about $19,000,000 in impact-fee cash available now and can finance and stage work so projects proceed as money becomes available.

District proposals, estimates and timing
- Westside Elementary: staff recommended a classroom addition in the roughly 12-classroom range. The plan calls for moving four portables from Bayside to Westside, moving those portables by summer and opening the addition for the 2026 school year. The district estimated the Westside project at roughly $6,000,000 to $7,500,000 and said the finished school would be about 1,300 students in size.
- Bayside High School: staff proposed a prototype two-story high-school design, comparable to the Viera prototype, sized to serve up to about 3,000 students and aimed to open in August 2027. Estimated cost range cited by staff: $15,000,000 to $20,000,000.
- Sunrise Elementary / K–8 option: staff proposed a K–8 conversion using a prototype gym design plus a 6–8 classroom “mirror” classroom addition. The district said the project would remove portables, add middle-school capacity (grades 7–8) without building a standalone middle school, and has a target opening of August 2027. Staff estimated the Sunrise work in a broad range of $15,000,000 to $27,000,000 and said limited rezoning would likely be required.

Other sites and constraints
- A previously studied middle-school site at Sanfilippo and De Groot remains on hold: staff told the board utilities and wetlands issues increased site development costs dramatically, and the district estimated about $1,000,000 in site work would have been required before breaking ground. For that reason the district placed the Sanfilippo site “on hold” while focusing on nearer-term additions.
- Portables and site logistics: staff said the existing four Bayside portables will be relocated to Westside to support the Westside addition, and that transportation and the West Side bus compound are factors in deciding how to use land between Westside and Bayside.

Funding approach and risk
The district plans to rely primarily on educational impact fees collected in the South Area educational impact-fee district; staff said the current cash balance is about $19,000,000 (through Dec. 30) and that projected impact-fee revenue commonly runs “about $3,000,000 a quarter,” though the district noted recent quarters have been closer to $4,000,000. Staff said a letter of credit may be needed later in construction if pricing and receipts diverge.

Board questions and staff follow-up
Board members pressed staff about how much additional growth could be coming online and how developers coordinate with the district. “So this could be the tip of the iceberg?” asked Mr. Thomas, reflecting concern that land purchases by production builders could sharply increase student demand. Staff confirmed they are monitoring known development, are engaged with the city and county planning staffs and have convened meetings with large Palm Bay property owners and developers to coordinate potential school sites.

Next steps
Staff told the board it will bring a prototype design contract for Westside to the board agenda on Feb. 11 and expects subsequent design and preconstruction RFQs for Bayside and Sunrise in late February–early March. Staff said they will continue boundary analysis, developer outreach and a mid/long-term facilities plan with the consultant WXY.

The board did not take formal votes on construction contracts during the meeting; staff described items that will appear on future agendas and asked for continuing oversight as the projects move through design and procurement.","District staff told the school board Jan. 21 that growth in Palm Bay and south Brevard will require classroom additions, a planned large high school and a K–8 conversion at Sunrise Elementary; staff proposed relying primarily on educational impact fees and brought several design and contracting items to upcoming board agendas.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

School board reviews legislative platforms; asks consortium to drop private‑school accountability language

Student services reports lower referrals, fewer missed-instruction days; board asks for targeted school support

Brevard schools outline $47 million plan to add classrooms in fast-growing South Brevard