[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,75,87,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":73},"mediaId",6312863,"mediaKeyId","2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc","parentId",2390373,"title","Votes at a glance: Hillsborough County School Board, Feb. 25, 2025","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",8280000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc&start=8280&end=8280","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc/thumbnail_8280000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6312863/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Hillsborough-County-School-Board-Feb-25-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312863-84c6ed734cbc3e2162b9b3d280f24970/orig.mp4?Expires=1771126725&Signature=KRCEha7IIVjhLneZR~KDja78Sg3mMdZkiQepNODm9O1GnXqnzHZv4MhntgvNTEj1axxR6dpdvoh33raez80P5ck6SuLRzbFxWpRNVFShDpYhMcwLx9YkDFMdVhroJNIVxgMllRFoCSEBhWEuN7o67Q8VFVfZI7z76lgjsX0Si4iHykgq-Fo-BIcpUeQjZcsbyZ7EnHeB448O0pzbiB9NEXKNl6eat2W9K9Xj48HSyRm2TUaZFBZ6ILiZ3TOVqj51WvSll-QFDp1lC3hEipTGNnu0~crINNBSCPVa77U4dmSKMLrmU9Lip6Y-ZHa2YXK8Mug-UqfQBFjJa~Zwes72vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hillsborough County Public Schools, FL","date","2025-02-26T00:00:46Z","article","The Hillsborough County School Board took the following formal actions on Feb. 25, 2025. This roundup lists each agenda item, its outcome, and the motion mover/second when recorded.

• C101 — Adoption and purchase of recommended K–12 science instructional materials: Approved unanimously. Motion by Member Washington; second by Member Perez. (Presentation described public review period and teacher vote.)

• C102 — Addendum to quote with Renaissance Learning Inc. (MyON digital reading platform): Approved unanimously. Motion by Doctor Hahn; second by Member Combs. (Board recognized community partners and ongoing partnership.)

• C203 — Termination of contract with Village of Excellence Academy (charter closure): Approved unanimously. Motion by Member Washington; second by Member Perez. (78 enrolled students were reassigned; final audit pending.)

• C402 — Request for funds to refingerprint all employees for the Florida Clearinghouse (AHCA): Approved unanimously. Motion by Member Combs; second by Member Gray. (Estimated $2.6M cost; implementation and exemption guidance from state pending.)

• C601 — Budget amendments for period ending Jan. 31, 2025: Approved unanimously. Motion by Member Combs; second by Member Gray. (CFO reported timing of property‑tax receipts and projections; third DOE calculation pending.)

• C701 — Increase in expenditures for piggyback agreement with First Student Inc. for alternative student transportation: Approved with one dissent (Member Rendon). Motion by Member Washington; second by Member Perez. (Contract is not‑to‑exceed; staff reported ~286 students currently on the service following hurricanes.)

• C704 — Request for proposals for project management services to be used by operations: Approved (Member Rendon absent from vote). Motion by Member Combs; second by Member Gray.

Each item above will be followed by implementation steps and reporting as specified by staff presentations. For items involving contracts or major expenditures staff committed to regular updates to the board.

Votes & provenance (first/last transcript excerpts for each agenda item)
C101 topicintro: \"...this k 12 adoption for science instructional materials marks the first time since '20, '18...\" (s1855.325)
C101 topfinish: \"And the motion passes unanimously.\" (s2021.045)

C102 topicintro: \"this is an agenda item I'm sure you're familiar with. This is MyON...\" (s2049.175)
C102 topfinish: \"And the motion passes unanimously.\" (s2565.49)

C203 topicintro: \"So the Village of Excellence, Academy's governing board voted to voluntarily close the school on January 23 of this year...\" (s2596.64)
C203 topfinish: \"And the motion passes unanimously.\" (s2994.275)

C402 topicintro: \"So the clearing house is a database which being used by the agency for health care administration...\" (s3017.65)
C402 topfinish: \"And the motion passes unanimously.\" (s4993.38)

C601 topicintro: \"Good evening. We're gonna update the, board on the January financials for the district...\" (s5032.275)
C601 topfinish: \"And the amendments passed unanimously.\" (s6977.71)

C701 topicintro: \"So to ensure reliable transportation for all students, alternative services have been implemented...\" (s7002.08)
C701 topfinish: \"And the motion passes with 1 dissenting, vote member Rendon and the rest of us voting yes.\" (s8262.725)

C704 topicintro: \"So this board item requires approval for project management services to be utilized by operations on an as needed basis...\" (s8280.485)
C704 topfinish: \"And the motion passes with member Rendon unanimously, but with member Rendon being away from the dais?\" (s8349.285)

Ending
Items that require ongoing reporting (notably C402, C601 and C701) will return to the board as staff deliver implementation details, audit results or budget updates.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting February 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal votes taken during the Feb. 25 Hillsborough County School Board meeting, including unanimous approvals of curriculum, MyON partnership, charter termination, fingerprinting funds, budget amendments, project management services and the alternative transportation increase (one dissent).","taxTitle","Hillsborough, School Districts, Florida","taxId",14619,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6312868,"Board ratifies closure of Village of Excellence Academy; district to audit finances of closed charter",405,2596000,3001000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc&start=2596&end=3001","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc/thumbnail_2596000.jpg","/articles/6312868/Florida/Board-ratifies-closure-of-Village-of-Excellence-Academy-district-to-audit-finances-of-closed-charter","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312868-31d3a36059918b32b91cc947a7148803/orig.mp4?Expires=1771126725&Signature=Yu5kiwi-LuHCXB-CGbMA0NGN1T1~UtsKWm3BHnrawJNnjOXmbihICcrnjZ6hwh6H0uGtGbt1uF4TubmDidIjmTN-bYlPtAdkD1eWJo80YUar4O~vCyZrF1ljbUytp6ZQQGEUdcRh1iGqZOzqqhmkMsEblLmLbC9alvYIneimHNYqJ35c2MPHSKu06qe0vOlfpJs2sfDg3r08kca5XJScSmHPAv9zCQgkEE-YqANjTk~SJGnyMz43bPFtA9CqhCTWHnJDUKIdPhmWhR1g4r5-SVpSi07pV-acK7U5Vayh1E2Pg94lc8q0EZs0UO~QUzMVk35EG3hdVZ1L-FFE1wC1EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hillsborough County School Board approved agenda item C203 on Feb. 25 to terminate the contract with Village of Excellence Academy after the charter’s governing board voted to close the school on Jan. 23.

Superintendent Ayers told the board that the district contacted all 78 enrolled families to offer enrollment options; staff reported that students moved to neighborhood schools, other charters, home education or private schools. \"The 78 students that were enrolled at Village of Excellence are now at their neighborhood schools, either another charter school, home ed, or a private school,\" Superintendent Ayers said.

Why it matters: The closure affects enrollment stability for dozens of students and prompted board members to ask questions about the charter’s finances and whether any funds might be owed to the state. Board members asked staff to follow up with more detailed financial records and with legal counsel.

Board questions and staff response
Member Combs, who had pulled the item, reviewed the charter’s financial closeouts and flagged line items that surprised her — for example, administrative salaries that appeared unchanged for a six‑month operating period and a large outlay for building costs. She asked whether the district had been notified earlier about financial distress and pressed staff on outstanding audit questions.

District staff said they had contacted all families and would provide board members with a breakdown of where students enrolled. They also said the charter is undergoing a final audit and that the district has asked legal counsel to review fiscal issues and outstanding contractual obligations.

Vote and next steps
The motion to approve the termination was made by Member Washington and seconded by Member Perez. The board approved the item unanimously. Staff said they will share the final audit results with the board and will follow up on specific line‑item questions raised during the meeting.

Quotes
\"So that's what was really concerning to me is, like, did that charter school know that they were financially being challenged and what was happening?\" Member Combs asked during discussion of the closing's financial documents.

Ending
The board ratified termination of the contract and asked staff to report back with the final audit and any legal findings related to fiscal closeout.","The board approved termination of the contract with Village of Excellence Academy after the school's governing board voluntarily voted to close; the district reported outreach to all 78 families and said staff are auditing finances and consulting legal counsel.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":44,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6312873,"Board approves expanded alternative transportation after hurricanes; one member dissents",1278,7002000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc&start=7002&end=8280","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc/thumbnail_7002000.jpg","/articles/6312873/Florida/Board-approves-expanded-alternative-transportation-after-hurricanes-one-member-dissents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312873-228722e5c128fc2c820c40c6c41dbb9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771126725&Signature=jZT3fq6J~30ebuby6gzVEW5RRGuGlnazX5SogkxBZeyAnMFKuTL0fhQn75ceD9ROwuPiZ0n8t7PxTJGespqPVZzsNaWeaKU8iHk2RyZ10lh6TlU~ltvTKaE~F7mJ1wKWtIdYBKBnEN9LYvI8E8NoylQT-L1Zk10zlWNWHWHTeQy8MPDRp5aMG43FGANuaqlmzI9IBZD~sDjtdFNI~ipvmUjgo9srWsMhT2RyHus-cvyZMshA4Aw88yV9sStg5tgnHXf6r0HnMw7Fp-nXPeTKvBvUDbjk6~8EVxQdKtgJU2rhgyniZaIyGdH24Mkw03HGnZZ24oiLeRtE9t2J885yHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hillsborough County School Board voted Feb. 25 to increase spending on a piggyback agreement with First Student Inc. for alternative student transportation after hurricanes displaced students and drove up demand for contracted rides.

Superintendent Ayers and operations staff said the district used alternative transportation for students whose needs make traditional bus service impractical and for students displaced by storms. The board approved agenda item C701, a not‑to‑exceed increase, after staff explained the service load had risen sharply; the motion was made by Member Washington and seconded by Member Perez.

Why it matters: District staff said alternative transportation preserves access to school for students with long trips, for students in alternative programs and for students experiencing homelessness under McKinney‑Vento. Board members agreed continuity mattered but also pressed for verification of eligibility and for options to reduce long‑term costs.

What the board heard
Chief operations staff said the contract increase reflects a jump in usage: historically the service covered about 30 to 75 students, but storm displacement and other factors increased that population to roughly 286 students. Superintendent Ayers said the 286 students are distributed across many schools rather than concentrated in one zone, complicating district routing.

Member Combs questioned the scale of the increase and asked that the district verify addresses and eligibility for McKinney‑Vento transport. \"It concerns me to see an additional $1,500,000 in 2 years,\" Member Combs said, asking whether some families use contracted rides long‑term for convenience. Social‑work staff and the district homeless liaison said McKinney‑Vento eligibility requires a case assessment and that districts are directed by state guidance not to conduct blanket address checks; disputed cases proceed to a formal dispute resolution process.

Staff described the contract as \"not to exceed\" and said the district pays for services only as used. The board discussed longer‑term options: hiring drivers, using district vans for routes that do not require CDL drivers, and shifting more routes in‑house if driver recruitment continues to improve.

Vote and dissent
The motion passed with one dissenting vote. The clerk recorded Member Rendon as voting no and the remaining members voting yes.

Quotes
\"When I look at the end, it seems like they owe the state...their surplus is only $407,\" Member Combs said while discussing charter financials and budget stewardship in the same portion of the meeting.

Ending
Board members asked staff for quarterly updates and suggested a future follow‑up item that outlines verification steps, use of district drivers or vans, and a projected multiyear cost comparison if the increased demand persists.","Hillsborough County School Board approved a not‑to‑exceed increase in alternative transportation spending after hurricanes increased demand for contracted rides. The increase responded to a rise from roughly 30–75 students to about 286 students on the service; Member Rendon cast the lone dissent.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6312879,"School board approves $2.6M to re‑fingerprint staff under new state clearinghouse mandate",2004,3017000,5021000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc&start=3017&end=5021","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390373-c4e3b2d845e71d00029afd1d0b835fdc/thumbnail_3017000.jpg","/articles/6312879/Florida/School-board-approves-26M-to-refingerprint-staff-under-new-state-clearinghouse-mandate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312879-449b548d12c858e3ccafec3b940b7a6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771126725&Signature=I~RQHFTeLoK8NTkGDtTL~Y5tXSGT429r~LGQWBA5YyJa1VolPWez6sktEwymY81fLfZtW3QBVuRKKpZ5lq92xCtTup8BV8lqVwLyy8dic147qenDgeYLuRuA3UsIfk2VD-sPBfoTu0NbC9gcYPInDLRVhrJWlnJD1~-TUzcbik24lwuo5hgVSvwsW2mQKDLDJc6CGLZlK76TT3ZjAGhpzwt-ba75ZcBAvOe9WEy2yyvHmjCCDI8sZ9i1nSx85pK3cDPPvLz2wDgWwjpNxiRKdGNIZcSlXN1DbFVHxNAAN8l0LuWNL0QNI~yy-4sDSK7bb0VLtS10m6Z2nlis4zwSrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hillsborough County School Board on Feb. 25 approved a measure to have all district employees refingerprinted and entered into the Florida Clearinghouse, a statewide background-screening database, at an estimated cost of $2,600,000.

Board members and staff said the change responds to 2023 state legislation requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) clearinghouse to review and determine eligibility for criminal-history checks. The district must have new prints entered between April 2025 and June 30, 2027, Superintendent Ayers said.

The vote, to approve agenda item C402, passed unanimously after debate and questions about funding, logistics and staffing. The motion was made by Member Combs and seconded by Member Gray.

Why it matters: The clearinghouse consolidates criminal-history records into one repository and can push alerts to employers when a new record appears, district staff said. Board members said faster, centralized checks could speed hiring and improve student safety, but they warned the requirement is an unfunded state mandate that will cost the district millions.

Board discussion and implementation details
Superintendent Ayers opened the item by explaining the statutory change and the practical result: all Hillsborough County Public Schools employees must be reprinted and uploaded to the clearinghouse. \"This requires all HCPS employees must be refingerprinted between April of 2025 and June thirtieth of 2027 with new prints entered into that statewide screening database,\" Superintendent Ayers said.

Member Combs pushed repeatedly on the cost and on whether the state would provide funding. \"Are we not going to get any support for that from the state?\" Member Combs asked. Staff answered that no state funding was available and that the district would be responsible for the $2.6 million estimated expense.

Board members pressed for operational detail. Member Combs and Member Gray urged the district to expand fingerprinting locations beyond the ISC to reduce candidate dropoff and to speed onboarding for applicants who live farther from central offices. Member Rendon and others described the clearinghouse as a long‑used national system and said once employees are in the database future reprints will be cheaper and faster.

District staff said the district volunteered to be in the state's beta group for the new process and will participate in training; their first training was scheduled the day after the meeting. Mr. Horstman, who leads parts of onboarding, said the district has already streamlined some hiring steps and is trying to minimize the time between a candidate’s fingerprinting and first paycheck.

Flags, exemptions and staffing risk
Board members asked what happens when a new record appears in the clearinghouse for an existing employee. Doctor Hahn asked: \"What happens when we refingerprint all of our employees and some things pop up that were not there when they were originally fingerprinted?\" Staff said the state had not finished the exemption process and that districts currently hold flagged employees out of work until the employee obtains the clearinghouse report and files any appeal. \"At this time, they haven't yet come back and given us the determination as to this is what you should do,\" staff said.

Several board members asked for a timeline and for advance communication to staff and the public. The district committed to a communications plan outlining what employees should expect, privacy disclosures and how to schedule fingerprinting. Staff also said the new equipment will be portable (computer, fingerprint scanner, Wi‑Fi) so mobile events can be scheduled in neighborhoods during high‑hiring seasons.

Vote and next steps
The motion to approve C402 was made by Member Combs, seconded by Member Gray, and passed unanimously. District staff said they will return with specific operational plans, a communications timeline, and monitoring data on how quickly the clearinghouse processes prints during the rollout.

Quotes
\"Are we not going to get any support for that from the state?\" Member Combs asked during debate.
\"That is correct,\" staff said when asked whether the state would provide funding.

Ending
The board approved the item with unanimous support but left open several implementation questions. Staff promised routine updates as they pilot the clearinghouse process, finalize exemptions guidance with the state and schedule mobile fingerprinting opportunities to reduce hiring delays.","The Hillsborough County School Board unanimously approved $2.6 million to refingerprint all district employees to comply with the Florida Clearinghouse under 2023 legislation, amid board concern about the unfunded cost and how new flags and exemptions will be handled.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Hillsborough County School Board, Feb. 25, 2025

Board ratifies closure of Village of Excellence Academy; district to audit finances of closed charter

Board approves expanded alternative transportation after hurricanes; one member dissents

School board approves $2.6M to re‑fingerprint staff under new state clearinghouse mandate