[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6099659,"mediaKeyId","2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d","parentId",2816869,"title","District safety official reports seven state audits, three findings; board cites House bill on Guardian Program","audioSeconds",386,"startMs",498000,"endMs",884000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d&start=498&end=884","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d/thumbnail_498000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099659/Florida/District-safety-official-reports-seven-state-audits-three-findings-board-cites-House-bill-on-Guardian-Program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099659-c0f12637fc3bedfb61ddfb1f9d2d3d61/orig.mp4?Expires=1776041070&Signature=DFuQD0GRrsZEVTMql~RGFI8eEsNcALrKGzjhW6lPjykGfERtKsj8BDOf-FvMYGlJt-5Sdlr3kgxU2rlyYRFYyAvDsliGYXoAddBv8qSK6XyvDnywuMm1uVdO~pKvxBCBxpxSH~aqx4OEz9QJbRzxV9BIF9mmPBRkuyBcy5WdNRWYX4VnqvKLIfSThg8vLx77V6KBJAX3K-80rUnZEOkW0rOvphCa4y8yEBD8H87GWQMF~xErMj6S7-JBxkd1GdMsIfGWTKMtZwb14w5mAR4whNhQ6rZtWdTzSZg-mS9CWYDdzbLyx6KNEBfUEK0XTXh4-4uvNGzqngW4cFeoNwriiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Levy County School Board, FL","date","2025-03-28T12:04:12Z","article","A district staff member responsible for safety and security reported that state auditors have conducted multiple unannounced visits across district schools and that three audit findings were logged, though the staff member declined to provide details in open session.

“Since my last report … we have had 7 state audits … We have had 3 findings,” the staff member said, adding that some audit items can hinge on interpretation of statute or placement of required postings and that auditors vary in how they apply vague statutory wording (for example, whether a 60-day period means 60 school days or 60 calendar days).

Board members praised maintenance staff who handle safety-related work orders and thanked district staff for responsiveness to mechanical safety issues. During the discussion, a board member noted that a House bill sponsored by Representative Brad Yeager had passed unanimously in committee and said it would give schools “a little more flexibility” regarding the Guardian Program and after-hours gate/door use.

The safety staff member said the district is responsible for safety and security at charter schools and that audits typically take two to three hours per school. The staff member said audits are unannounced and that auditors may revisit schools already inspected.

Why it matters: Regular audits by the state affect compliance and operations at individual schools; the board and staff said clearer statutory language and guidance would reduce the likelihood of findings that hinge on technicalities such as poster placement or ambiguous timeframes.

What’s next: District staff will continue to respond to audits and address findings; board members will monitor state legislative changes affecting school safety and the Guardian Program.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board Meeting 3/25/25","oneSentenceSummary","A district safety staff member told the board the state has conducted multiple unannounced audits of school safety and security at charter schools, yielding three findings the staff could not detail publicly; the board also noted a House bill on the Guardian Program and after-hours gate use passed a House committee.","taxTitle","Levy, School Districts, Florida","taxId",67946,"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},6099664,"Chiefwood Elementary students meet high-school CTE presenters at inaugural AVID Career Day",563,83000,646000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d&start=83&end=646","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d/thumbnail_83000.jpg","/articles/6099664/Florida/Chiefwood-Elementary-students-meet-high-school-CTE-presenters-at-inaugural-AVID-Career-Day","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099664-dcc34334dc329d5508b464d4d5833c83/orig.mp4?Expires=1776041070&Signature=id9LoFj6dgakKktOk37tzFjglmkmofh~pyGhFNWcMQO7vjGlNf0~y6hSLJa86wAWxrLA~JH45-FWF7Z6ey4oJJpBuFJQrj2tSK7bxJ8~D4MCiqVcpH0imAZxpdqtfxnCayRnQKlmPAiSfg9~1Jj4~reeEBe6lmMbrIjCnp0EjGwz2Bxama4-TVo9~jOcqltdo9OS6J58YVjb~2mTBApXvAQTnr-PjCq7wuSXUqpmrRgWMIZw23kdhuSfaP35abEPxsKaUanpJ42UVgWFVvS0aS38pRvJNXpdJ7RVRYbW44KGqbJg2SDqyv3qGJ34EgDfuH-yIESkNPocTKLPyguZyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chiefwood Elementary hosted its first AVID Career Day, bringing Chiefland Middle/High School (CMHS) career and technical education (CTE) students to present five interactive stations to fourth- and fifth-graders.

Megan Weatherford, a teacher at Chiefwood Elementary, said the event reversed the typical career fair model by having high-school CTE students present to elementary students to create excitement about career pathways and to promote AVID recruitment. “We actually had 27 students apply, which was phenomenal compared to last year,” Weatherford said.

Organizers set up five stations—teacher cadets, health academy, agriculture, digital design and media, and AVID recruitment. Weatherford described hands-on activities that included Lego-based problem-solving to illustrate farm challenges, seed planting, wrapping an injured calf limb, a medical dummy demonstration by the health academy, and a teacher-cadet activity symbolizing teaching as a link across generations. The AVID recruitment station followed with an application opportunity for fifth-graders to apply to the AVID elective at the high school.

High-school presenters completed a feedback survey after the event. Weatherford said the presenters reported the noise level in the cafeteria was a problem and that about half of the presenters felt they should shorten presentations to keep younger students’ attention. Organizers plan to move the event to a different venue next year, increase setup time for high-school presenters and collect teacher and student feedback to refine the format.

Why it matters: District staff said peer-led presentations give elementary students a clearer view of local secondary programs and encourage continuity from elementary through high-school CTE and AVID pathways.

What’s next: Organizers plan a revised venue and schedule for next year and will implement feedback-driven improvements to presentation length and interactivity.","Chiefwood Elementary held its first AVID Career Day in which high-school CTE and AVID students presented five career stations to fourth- and fifth-graders; organizers reported 27 fifth-graders applied for the high-school AVID elective.",{"_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},6099669,"Finance chief: Levy County schools report clean audit but face roughly $450,000 state revenue shortfall after proration and scholarships",945,1175000,2120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d&start=1175&end=2120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d/thumbnail_1175000.jpg","/articles/6099669/Florida/Finance-chief-Levy-County-schools-report-clean-audit-but-face-roughly-450000-state-revenue-shortfall-after-proration-and-scholarships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099669-b8e8cfd66f810e80637367f39aff73cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1776041070&Signature=ZhLu28URG7JK2UMqEuVPuV7UldFwmREKOF~qXtKXyGU9TdLS3Ux2ZzsGvon5i1Tc74Dj8iiYyDpW2KA84fKi~HLPJ57qcnkFlkwnk5aPvxco~Tbf51VrUQjmXMi1uJ7vpSSGJMMcc2bfOYYnXfjcuvsMRgtQujlbVarHjt8TgZQF-SIybuseTvM0NinrJae2O~uokHj9WSUIsFB~4Kcyg8NuoRFtQNFydyxLPW11ANmVXg1K3zX8WvPgXHGFRTRX~C4OTul1dCuEQm~nhCNX7p-iTQHzrh6aHOW9IrhgrLQ6jsvpppc8yuYCsH5dxIbLTl24E6tnWA4Ij8BSQxHhBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Levy County School District officials reported a clean financial audit for the last fiscal year but said state-level proration and growth in scholarship programs are expected to reduce the district’s state revenue by roughly $450,000.

Miss Lake, the district’s finance/administrative staff member, told the school board there were “no deficiencies over internal controls identified. There were no material misstatements. Federal awards were in compliance.” She said the district must now prepare a budget amendment after a late third calculation from the state showing a combination of proration and increased scholarship counts.

Lake explained the state’s funding calculations—unweighted and weighted full-time-equivalent (FTE) counts, categorical funding changes and a proration that reduced anticipated revenue—and said those changes, combined with a near-$641,000 increase in scholarship estimates used by the state as a placeholder, produced a net decline of about $451,000 to $454,000 in state revenue for the current year. She said the district will offset the revenue reduction by reducing budgeted revenues and shifting expenditures where possible.

The presentation walked the board through the state calculations used to build district budgets, noting that some categorical streams were moved into the base student allocation and that required local effort (property-tax-derived local contribution) does not change during the year. Lake said that because the district often fronts money for federal programs, insurance claims and hurricane expenses, fund-balance management is critical;

“We are serving students with less than what we had at the start of the year,” Lake said, explaining why the district must reduce reported revenue and identify expenditure offsets to avoid eroding reserves.

Board members asked for clarification about the timing of survey counts, and Lake outlined the difference between the second calculation used to build the budget and the third calculation that “trues up” funding based on October and February student counts. She cautioned further adjustments could come with the upcoming survey. The board did not take a vote on the budget amendment at the meeting; Lake said she would return with specific amendment language once numbers are finalized.

Why it matters: The change reduces the district’s projected financial-condition ratio and requires the finance office to adjust revenue and expenditures to preserve fund balance used to cover programs the district fronts.

What’s next: Finance staff will prepare a formal budget amendment after the district finalizes the third-calculation numbers; board review and approval will follow.","District finance staff reported no financial audit findings for the prior fiscal year but warned school funding will be reduced after state proration and increases in scholarship programs, leaving an estimated $450,000 revenue shortfall that will require budget amendments.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099674,"Levy County board designates electrician, plumber and HVAC roles as 'critical' to ease hiring",406,818000,1224000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d&start=818&end=1224","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816869-6aedec957419c5d4a942c1090f6fa07d/thumbnail_818000.jpg","/articles/6099674/Florida/Levy-County-board-designates-electrician-plumber-and-HVAC-roles-as-critical-to-ease-hiring","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099674-27a17301d826d51c429750ffec626706/orig.mp4?Expires=1776041070&Signature=Tu~T5Dn67ZL1EOFIQeywFSi6PWo4xkY84Q9yEE7pTm4m8Whde9vXdEKzOxEXExeaRAoM0jiW9r-3oOlVEDYGtTXOCbvP1cnuH7vJan3GxXKDNKEcz-TODmOIymRqeyDYMV-KQHWX7AOEFl4rMAQE3N7iW5OPAodROpdawMbcWP~g~xJhPzVQZ6E3PwJjqhK2dGnu7bgjcdglA5mzioulhboDSxy8VEVx6jDsAjV5Cs-K1kR7skThwrXEm5rOqQ4Wqpb1DrywpvpsFbqVHATgOaSxNCNWLlilZ1sA~aKuE-ZIVvKTmj4KBJeXcs4uOHOmatbsKuXcJP5dbPOir2mt2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Levy County School Board voted to classify three maintenance trades—electrician, plumber and HVAC technician—as critical positions, a change supporters said will help the district recruit qualified applicants.

Board Chair opened the vote after a presentation from a maintenance representative who asked the board to recognize the positions as critical because “we struggle to get qualified applicants” when hiring. The presenter said designating the roles would allow the district to “offer them 1 to 1 on years of experience,” meaning applicants could receive full step credit for prior work experience under the district’s collective-bargaining rules.

The change is intended to address recurring vacancies in specialized trades that the maintenance team said can remain open for lengthy periods. The presenter described the difficulty of recruiting candidates who have 20 years of outside trade experience but would be placed at a lower pay step without full credit for prior work.

Board members asked about documentation for prior experience. The presenter said candidates’ prior employers are contacted and that personnel handles verification with a certification form; self-employed applicants must submit tax records. Board members also asked whether the change would apply to existing employees; the presenter said the classification would affect new hires only and that any step or base-pay changes for current employees would have to be negotiated with the union.

After brief discussion, a motion to adopt the critical designation was moved and seconded and carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to designate electrician, plumber and HVAC technician positions as critical (affecting new hires; verification of experience to be handled through personnel forms and supporting documentation): approved (motion carried by voice vote; tally not recorded in the minutes).

Why it matters: Board members said the step-credit change aims to make the district more competitive in hiring for skilled trades, which school maintenance staff described as essential to keeping facilities operational.

What’s next: Personnel will apply the district’s existing verification process for prior employment and certifications to new hires in these job classes; any retroactive pay or step changes for current employees would require negotiation with the union, the presenter said.","The Levy County School Board voted unanimously to classify electrician, plumber and HVAC technician openings as critical positions, allowing new hires to receive full credit for prior years of experience under a union agreement; board members discussed limits and implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District safety official reports seven state audits, three findings; board cites House bill on Guardian Program

Chiefwood Elementary students meet high-school CTE presenters at inaugural AVID Career Day

Finance chief: Levy County schools report clean audit but face roughly $450,000 state revenue shortfall after proration and scholarships

Levy County board designates electrician, plumber and HVAC roles as 'critical' to ease hiring