[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",5975271,"mediaKeyId","5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac","parentId",5844355,"title","Public speaker warns charter growth is drawing students and funding away from Brevard district","audioSeconds",1865,"startMs",3575990,"endMs",5441000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac&start=3575&end=5441","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac/thumbnail_3575990.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5975271/Florida/Public-speaker-warns-charter-growth-is-drawing-students-and-funding-away-from-Brevard-district","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975271-f1787152930749d2136088ff1f8c13b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161382&Signature=MAC1odLrGtyjglEIFp3c-XEJ4E4ph6GLqb2gfr-2RvC9N89XNAPDJ7x1pqEIIhvJy7NJggcZcx9LEy20gGeoOmd1e94z3TqaYWFKlZ9wCSsE~FASf-PpTbNWs7OChTLb1Lf2r759TNIkBywNqZYGKcfpgjclqb-31DUxjNN9OWam~hzqG4k897YrdJTvwniG26RPScomVCzDFe2bjxsxLa9Wo8VYJDWFDE9OgYUktdhj7fNLSg4~pEdwzMAhO7QylfpOIumSqP6jw~lmCyg1TQn5M05VOpGj8TCXkFHLOen~4Eke3ZAI5swgumAAEVbCsvWzXrg8gD0Rh8qY5JAEEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Brevard County School Board","date","2025-09-24T11:10:36Z","article","A community member told the Brevard County School Board on Sept. 23 that charter-school growth is eroding public-school enrollment and revenue and asked the board to explain its strategy for retaining students.

Bernard Bridal, speaking during the public-comment portion on item I2 (a charter contract renewal), said a particular charter school showed 38 percent growth and that the district had lost about 3,000 students over the last four years. He said those departures led to an estimated $30,000,000 impact to public-school revenue and urged the board to be “transparent to the community” about how it plans to respond.

Bridal acknowledged parental choice is legal but argued charter and private schools often draw students into newer facilities and promised different learning environments; he said the district must demonstrate a strategy to compete for students and the funding they bring.

At the information-agenda discussion later in the meeting, a board member responded that the district’s strategic plan and academic-improvement efforts are intended to address competition from charter providers, and said district improvements should make public schools more attractive to families. That board member also noted examples of schools whose populations have fluctuated with performance improvements and declines.

Why it matters: Enrollment shifts affect per‑pupil revenue streams and district planning. Public comments asked for a clear, publicly shared strategic response to charter expansion and its fiscal impacts to the district.

Next steps: Board members referenced the district strategic plan as the central approach; no formal board action on charter policy or a strategic communications plan occurred at the Sept. 23 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting 9-23-25","oneSentenceSummary","A community member argued Sept. 23 that charter-school enrollment growth — cited as 38% for a particular charter — has reduced Brevard Public Schools’ enrollment and revenue, and asked the board to explain its strategy to retain students.","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},5975276,"Brevard board approves renewal of half‑cent sales surtax and 1‑mill ad valorem millage",43,5222950,5266000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac&start=5222&end=5266","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac/thumbnail_5222950.jpg","/articles/5975276/Florida/Brevard-board-approves-renewal-of-halfcent-sales-surtax-and-1mill-ad-valorem-millage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975276-a456879e2a98a711e82528becde1054b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161382&Signature=LXHCIl9pJZ0AK5uXgjHftTV-OJWClOkQnamSUWCbrsv31mC~XenhDFNW7i3gMjnsOZWlMQx29dVFywjRM41ftaCgaYVJ3slJD6ggWtY-HLJjTUP3EBsc7QACCPMczjAinrJw2caCEHQDWoA3qKf0uOyk0UUb2kPMcLfknnrsr0AHwbWRKfwXngqhvMEXFLTwVDeG4G7UDkS8qh1deUqso1dd6XNfc2hKW8fI~ABQtPmO~mJSHY6RXNdImRZB~XNfb9BfDhKfvedk3DZZm7ve6YtfbI4FcPewtfLO956b29yODqbHfrULv9y46UhOVu14uHmsV7mrzWsRVTiv~6jGrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Brevard County School Board on Sept. 23 approved two revenue renewal measures: a one‑half‑cent sales surtax and a one‑mill ad valorem millage.

Superintendent-level staff introduced the two action items as resolutions for renewal. The board moved to approve resolution 2026‑O1, described in the agenda as the renewal of a one‑half‑cent sales surtax; roll call vote recorded Aye votes from Mister Thomas, Miss Campbell, Mister Trent, Mister Susan and Miss Wright.

The board then considered and approved resolution 2026‑O2, a renewal of one mill in ad valorem millage. That item also passed on a unanimous roll call: Mister Thomas, Miss Campbell, Mister Trent, Mister Susan and Miss Wright all voted Aye.

Board members spoke later in the meeting about the district’s strategic plan and how the renewed revenues would support priorities such as retaining teachers and facility improvements. A public commenter who identified herself as both a parent and teacher thanked the board and superintendent for the renewal of millage and for investing in security systems at schools.

What passed: Two separate board resolutions renewing existing revenue streams were adopted without recorded opposition. The board did not attach additional conditions to the approvals at the Sept. 23 meeting.

Why it matters: Local millage and surtax renewals provide recurring funding the district uses for operations, pay and capital needs; board members linked the measures to the district’s FY26 priorities in the meeting’s discussion.","On Sept. 23 the Brevard County School Board voted unanimously to adopt two revenue measures: the renewal of a one‑half‑cent sales surtax (resolution 2026‑O1) and renewal of a one‑mill ad valorem millage (resolution 2026‑O2). Both measures passed on roll call votes with all present members voting yes.",{"_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},5975279,"Board asks for workshop after new breakdown shows testing totals in minutes",171,4542030,4714000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac&start=4542&end=4714","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac/thumbnail_4542030.jpg","/articles/5975279/Florida/Board-asks-for-workshop-after-new-breakdown-shows-testing-totals-in-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975279-1a74f9cdae3f5b9b3eee9311fd2a32fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161382&Signature=aa76aKMn9stHYTQ0IlQ1b-8cej28ApLCQAxw3cMCnxg-I84kWaCFtJg4qTkqREgjXBGr64c1ELSWanFZ9Q229OhvN4Wm5s6hY1PfTTSecHjqCVbAIz4biqYGieTG-O~lVJaVBZJpXA1gAHebBxp9frEVTk~G4UOTbfLx3vcUDtX7fZAjW5rJH-9EiuV-FJdelRD91pjEvPk0a7b4lONaR6la5wbMFJzq~E6eRQ6k-D8TetHn9tZOOb8B5OaVIlscZ2jr-ZCc-lJChBbzsT3sl~yPMjEpPouUXWFNn3LdD-TEonrzxjiP7Z42KWT2zs-24euRzRFXgNN7~tAK-xsXNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A board member at the Sept. 23 Brevard County School Board meeting asked the district to convene a workshop to review and potentially reduce the total number of minutes students spend on tests after a new agenda attachment broke testing down by minutes.

The pulled item included a minute-by-minute schedule for required and district-administered assessments. The board member who raised the item said the new format — which lists total minutes for multiple grade bands and tests — made the time burden “very much in our face” and requested an immediate workshop to examine reductions. The member acknowledged that state-mandated tests cannot be removed but asked staff to identify nonrequired testing that might be reduced or consolidated.

Other board members supported the idea. Staff and a different board member noted the district has already reduced some testing in prior years and said that district staff would explain why particular assessments occur and how the minute totals were calculated. One board member suggested inviting testing administrator Miss Harris to the workshop to provide background and answer detailed questions.

The board voted to approve the consent item with the specific pulled item to be discussed, and later approved a motion to table related contract items; the testing-document discussion itself concluded with agreement to schedule the workshop and to gather more detail on which tests are state-required versus district-administered.

Why it matters: Testing time is the subject of frequent concern among parents and teachers; a minute-by-minute public breakdown is a concrete prompt for the district to revisit schedule choices and to clarify which assessments are mandatory.

Next steps: Board members asked staff to convene a workshop, invite testing and school staff to explain the tests and minutes included, and to return recommendations for reducing non-mandated testing.","A board member pulled an item showing a minute-by-minute breakdown of student testing and asked staff to schedule a workshop to explore whether the district can reduce testing time, citing totals that board members described as high despite some state-mandated tests.",{"_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},5975284,"School board tables new crowdfunding vendor contract, seeks guardrails and shorter term",746,4473925,5220000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac&start=4473&end=5220","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac/thumbnail_4473925.jpg","/articles/5975284/Florida/School-board-tables-new-crowdfunding-vendor-contract-seeks-guardrails-and-shorter-term","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975284-da17abc49cb6bb21a5ac88ed473551ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161382&Signature=f1s1GwrQgewgsB22gl-XbgXO~RdBIJVip1tDKr3BdvxjsWCXxuuiC1JovzFsU8d7EAhO4Jz5cUXbBV3sNmO1RzxTGTzVU6qpKkij-sAOX-H9Tr2PtsmZTz-Ict~znnjWVK2ZbLuFCE-tnon0aH7EjTl6xsKNXzeF34De2pNm-YrnkopGet5il-uKOi6cMZiPUqxkaHvTvcFsnr-6pooYpb~ut47MRQBzwzL6LFdZ7iRl~plya-shAqwP-xwYOUrRQHU8skxVP~OGUZL242UB0HAmWyMKJ~V-xnR4-bTc2uJwIgHfyv-6dJJoR3OZcO7bmuseuiVbzOEVGJoLb-wDPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Brevard County School Board voted 4–1 on Sept. 23 to table a proposed five-year contract with a crowdfunding vendor after board members raised concerns about fees, oversight and the contract’s term.

A board member pulled the consent agenda item so the board could discuss perceived gaps in the agreement. The pull prompted a lengthy discussion in which members and staff described existing district practice — the district already maintains multiple approved crowdfunding vendors — but said the contract before the board used the vendor’s template rather than the district’s standard.

Board members who spoke said they were not opposed to crowdfunding but wanted clearer guardrails: transparency on how much money campaigns raise and where the funds go; a public ledger or reporting mechanism; limits on solicitations and automated messages to families; a shorter contract term (several board members suggested reducing the proposed five-year term); and a change in approval authority from a department head to a school principal in order to centralize accountability.

One board member summarized the concern: the contract allowed “department heads” to approve campaigns and ran for five years without the typical three-year + one-year renewal structure the district uses. Another member said platform fees appeared high — speakers cited vendor percentages “up to 20%” — and urged staff to compare existing vendors before adopting the new agreement.

District counsel and staff said the district already works with multiple crowdfunding vendors and that schools would have choices; one staff member said the vendor in the proposed contract asked to use its own terms, which made the agreement more extensive than prior vendor contracts.

After discussion, a motion to table the contract until the next meeting passed on a 4–1 vote: Aye — Mister Thomas, Mister Trent, Mister Susan, Miss Wright; Nay — Miss Campbell. Board members who supported tabling asked staff to prepare recommended “guardrails” and to review fee structures and approval workflows before returning the item for action.

Why it matters: Schools and activity groups increasingly use crowdfunding to raise funds for classroom projects and extracurricular programs. Board members said the district should preserve that option while ensuring transparency and local control over approvals and reporting.

Next steps: The board directed staff to consult with finance and school leaders, and to return with recommended contractual limits and reporting requirements; the item was not approved on Sept. 23.","A consent-item contract to add a crowdfunding vendor to district-approved options was pulled, debated and tabled 4–1 pending work to add transparency, reporting and limits on approvals and fees; board members cited concerns about a five-year term, department-head approvals and platform fees.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5975289,"Teachers, parents and students urge Brevard board to rehire Melissa Calhoun as English vacancies persist",1747,2671625,4419000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac&start=2671&end=4419","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844355-bff690ccf89f420fee989c4b5d07ffac/thumbnail_2671625.jpg","/articles/5975289/Florida/Teachers-parents-and-students-urge-Brevard-board-to-rehire-Melissa-Calhoun-as-English-vacancies-persist","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975289-0ba58f4a315afde36f992bc53c43e8f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161382&Signature=PSQw2WMhmFQXQd3tAZFYDdALB3fsTotwdCNt-QmX7Glx5ekbXuMf2ym1rSTHf3q7cJ2SVSpoG9s4kkvGUR67zThj29TFo4m1yzpF4dMKGFGy6SvDIFGG8Vk7eGW8NNwdkKHBNRJayfDwBT4DXrnAn-ej8-DM97ZpZGTfd7wXoFem5JVeq9iMK9P2Z6Y29qHd4knZvKgwS5nY6El72xMIFYPC5UoHukfc02hODaG5tWsf~wpxbwVOCVBqoOVaAdCHr8BlMz-x06~LCxu3JU8iARoq~DBTs8K9YDj2UfdVC4XyuGI1BaRbOUViiMKedVQzgaiza0Mm4EQiUg9cX5mApg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Community members, teachers and students urged the Brevard County School Board on Sept. 23 to rehire Melissa Calhoun and warned that keeping her out of the classroom worsens staffing shortages.

At the meeting, Anthony Colucci, identified himself as “president of the Brevard Federation of Teachers,” and addressed the board during public comment on agenda item F3: “State statute specifically says the job of a school board is to provide for the appointment of personnel with 6 vacant secondary English positions. I’m urging this board to do its duty and appoint Melissa Calhoun to 1 of those positions.”

Speakers including Vanessa Skipper, vice president of the Brevard Federation of Teachers, and several teachers said six open English positions mean roughly 900 secondary students are without a qualified English teacher or are in overcrowded classrooms. Skipper said the teacher in question had an 89 percent AP literature pass rate and that the parent who raised a concern did not remove the student from the teacher’s class.

Bill Pearlman, a retired Brevard teacher, told the board the online agenda lists more than 350 teachers teaching out of field and “over 100 instructional vacancies” in recent job postings. He and others argued the district should use available qualified staff rather than leave classrooms short-staffed.

Several speakers framed the issue as political. Colucci said a single, addressed infraction was being turned into “a political spectacle.” Jennifer Hopkins, a parent and teacher who spoke later, said the state had cleared the educator, that she “paid the fines” and reapplied, and asked why the district had not rehired her after the state’s decision.

Not all commenters took the same view. Christopher Higginbotham, who said he is employed by Brevard Public Schools, said he supported superintendent authority to make hiring decisions, telling the board, “I do support, doctor Rendell’s decision, strictly because I think doctor Rendell should have the authority to make those kind of decisions unilaterally.”

Board members did not take formal action on the rehiring request during the meeting. Board discussion earlier in the evening included a comment by a board member that “the superintendent 100% has the right” to set punishment when an employee admits a law was broken; that remark was offered as explanation of the district’s authority to act on personnel matters.

Speakers pressed the board to consider the trade-offs between board posture and classroom staffing. Public commenters repeatedly asked the board to prioritize filling vacancies and to allow the teacher in question to volunteer while the personnel matter remains unresolved. The board did not vote on any personnel rehiring or reversal at the Sept. 23 meeting.

Why it matters: Commenters framed the issue as both an immediate staffing concern and a longer-term recruitment and retention problem. Multiple speakers tied the decision to district priorities, arguing that the district’s stated desire to “protect an effective workforce” in the FY26 budget should include rehiring decisions.

Context and next steps: The matter was raised repeatedly during the public comment period; no formal board motion to rehire or to require the superintendent to re-evaluate the case appeared on the Sept. 23 agenda. Speakers said the state had cleared the teacher and that district-level clearance remains the principal barrier to rehiring.","Multiple speakers at the Sept. 23 Brevard County School Board meeting urged the board and superintendent to reinstate Melissa Calhoun to fill one of six open secondary English positions, citing her high AP pass rates and arguing that political concerns are keeping a qualified teacher out of classrooms while vacancies remain.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public speaker warns charter growth is drawing students and funding away from Brevard district

Brevard board approves renewal of half‑cent sales surtax and 1‑mill ad valorem millage

Board asks for workshop after new breakdown shows testing totals in minutes

School board tables new crowdfunding vendor contract, seeks guardrails and shorter term

Teachers, parents and students urge Brevard board to rehire Melissa Calhoun as English vacancies persist