[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6108282,"mediaKeyId","2769407-92f06712d12fbc3571973d4671f6fff7","parentId",2769407,"title","Board approves agenda, minutes, financial reports and routine business; discusses high‑school land contracts","audioSeconds",2256,"startMs",121000,"endMs",2377000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769407-92f06712d12fbc3571973d4671f6fff7&start=121&end=2377","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769407-92f06712d12fbc3571973d4671f6fff7/thumbnail_121000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6108282/Florida/Board-approves-agenda-minutes-financial-reports-and-routine-business-discusses-highschool-land-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108282-8b05892a537c7dcd5f2a80d6b7d6f4ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1776142243&Signature=YCtcxJtgbTDYrzRilZqyUZlCeWbsOSxjYUidH3ss4OXkvInwndd9ZCmFXznqqQwNK8PdT3fFZjTXRxL16Uod55npkdukA3H0ReBpMyb64wKCuJTzcQYvnng06efSXR5FLxOXayaodv-G~IJYYNjvL7FjZcGLX2wJBRSzxg3o5fEQT4MkCZjL83tQUcmL8ZnRi4mLEDQ2LvBf1fFuVy09kpnHUue2m9P9L7QB4NMiQxWx44Ws2-mGGc-0Vqh~qJRnJO9I46yXNrXpxHX055ZonwqFZJVr9FrbWLq6ATmu~PT5jvtUOqbr5XC~H0bu5qul4U1AeVgXPRmxZtZ-FQNRPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Desoto County School District","date","2025-03-25T21:06:46Z","article","The DeSoto County School Board approved several procedural items by voice vote during its regular meeting, and board members discussed progress on the new high‑school property acquisition.

Motions recorded and approved by the board included adopting the superintendent's agenda; approving the board minutes for Feb. 25; accepting financial reports; and approving routine business items. Each motion was moved and seconded and recorded as passed with board members responding \"Aye.\" Two board members, Miss Mercer and Miss Chancey, were absent for roll call.

District attorney Mr. Hodak reported that the attorneys and staff had worked on amendments to the land contracts tied to the new high‑school property to secure a closer closing date and to ensure title was delivered prior to closing. Board members later referenced agenda items 11‑16 and 11‑20 as related to the new high school and property acquisition; the meeting transcript records discussion and appreciation for staff work in Tallahassee but does not record a board vote on a land purchase during this session.

The meeting adjourned at 6:19 p.m.

Ending: The board signaled continued follow‑up on the high‑school property work; staff will return with any formal contract or purchase motions at a future meeting if required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Board Meeting 3/25/25","oneSentenceSummary","During the regular meeting the board approved the superintendent's agenda, minutes from Feb. 25, financial reports and routine business items. The district attorney reported negotiated amendments to land contracts related to the new high‑school property acquisition; no formal land‑sale vote was recorded.","taxTitle","DeSoto, School Districts, Florida","taxId",57880,"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},6108288,"DeSoto County leaders report benchmark gains, expanded tutoring and higher graduation rate",2115,143000,2258000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769407-92f06712d12fbc3571973d4671f6fff7&start=143&end=2258","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769407-92f06712d12fbc3571973d4671f6fff7/thumbnail_143000.jpg","/articles/6108288/Florida/DeSoto-County-leaders-report-benchmark-gains-expanded-tutoring-and-higher-graduation-rate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108288-78c61f531218bcad7c393e1ed2991c6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1776142244&Signature=Nfer1EfW5dNnNRgyw068X7vmo6yiZLY1g~q3PjXk~UTJylp0TSR4qlx3mLciUgWtuDJnuBBOpHME0~CT360hyjVQzQdb33rfABZYXGE01uTBuPoZkIYoAzUR-uPL4CYCqC-MWFiKZgT5fq4-09aJcizcoLiGj73vcAJpC4M~DBgehdbcFQoMypJpwM0N4Qho3a-Go-wAWgk4UpMac4eq9F7vDWLRieOfxT70W520lzAqVHjXged0CYgvmdxuT6rMWFpM-oQw-tk4hjvhgADVg~yvGxta-tfyqSqEMMLoj9VYn4-oJXFqT4aZjPmYCPvdlNLlET3Otv6sqGl3d-G4qw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the DeSoto County School Board’s regular meeting, district leaders presented quarter‑to‑date assessment data, school visit findings and program updates showing pockets of academic improvement and operational changes intended to boost outcomes.

Dr. Reynolds, the district presenter, told the board the leadership team conducts quarterly \"view visits\" to classrooms to combine qualitative observations with quantitative measures, and that the visits drive school‑level action steps and district supports. \"We try to make actionable steps based on at the school level,\" he said.

The update covered three types of information: the district's classroom view visits and follow‑up actions; interim benchmark comparisons across multiple “PM” measures; and a new crosswalk the district used to estimate how many benchmark items a student must answer correctly to be classified at each state achievement level. Using DeSoto PM2 data, district staff estimated that, for example, third‑grade math students who answered 22 of 35 items correctly (about 63%) would be at least a Level 3 on the district benchmark.

High school figures drew specific attention. Dr. White, the high school presenter, said the district's graduation goal is 80 percent and reported the current graduation rate at 82.6 percent. He said 31 seniors still need one or more requirements to receive a diploma and that the school is providing supplemental instruction and test opportunities (the school day SAT/CLT) to help those students.

Principals described school‑level actions tied to the data. Reported strategies include targeted after‑school tutoring funded by district tutoring funds (a cohort of about 100 students was targeted at one school, with consistent daily attendance of roughly 50–55 students), expanded small‑group instruction, use of instructional coaches to write and align assessments, and extended planning time for teachers in upper elementary grades.

Several principals said discipline and in‑school suspension days have declined after implementing PBIS and restructuring schedules to keep student groups smaller. One middle school presentation said referrals dropped by about 1,000 and the school saved \"over a thousand days\" in suspensions this year by changing schedules, moving to team models (four teachers rotating the same ~100 students), and adding paraprofessional support.

Board members and the superintendent praised the presentations and highlighted the district’s focus on aligning instruction to tested standards, clarifying benchmarks, and following up on view‑visit action items. Superintendent Dr. Bennett and other board members also noted work on school improvement, and the district announced upcoming workshops on workforce housing (April 22) and a planned May workshop with a drug‑free coalition.

No new policy changes or ordinance‑level decisions were made during the assessment presentations; the meeting’s actions that required votes were procedural (agenda, minutes, financial reports and routine business) and were approved by the board.

The meeting closed with condolences from the superintendent after the district reported two recent employee deaths and appreciation from board members for principals’ instructional leadership and the reported gains in data.

Ending: The board will bring final end‑of‑year assessment data to the board in May as principals and district staff complete spring benchmarks and state testing windows. The board also signaled plans for continued follow up on the high school property acquisition and land‑contract work discussed earlier in the meeting.","District staff and principals told the school board that midyear benchmark data and site visits show gains in several grades, an 82.6% graduation rate at the high school, steady participation in after‑school tutoring and reduced middle‑school discipline days.","actionData","errors"]

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Board approves agenda, minutes, financial reports and routine business; discusses high‑school land contracts

DeSoto County leaders report benchmark gains, expanded tutoring and higher graduation rate