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School district says safety self-assessment is compliant; board to submit report to state
Summary
District safety and security staff told the board the schools completed required safety risk assessments, the draft district-level assessment is marked compliant and will be submitted to the state for review and possible school-hardening grants.
John Verity, the district’s safety and security lead, presented the Highlands County School Board with the annual Florida safety and security best-practices self-assessment on Oct. 10 and said the district-level report — once approved — will be submitted to the Florida Department of Education.
Verity told the board that each school completed its individual safety-risk assessment on time and that the district draft was marked compliant in the sections reviewed. He emphasized that detailed security information is kept confidential for safety reasons and that the board received a high-level summary in open session. “Our schools do an amazing job keeping those campuses safe,” Verity said.
The district identified a few secondary-level improvements behind already-strong security measures; those items may be eligible for future state school-hardening grant dollars if the state allocates funds for that purpose, Verity said.
The board voted to approve the district-level safety and security self-assessment for submission to the state. No specific vulnerabilities were disclosed in public session because details are restricted under the state’s confidentiality rules for school security.
Why it matters: The assessment is required by Florida statute and helps the district prioritize safety investments and qualify for state grant programs to strengthen school security.
What the board approved: Approval to submit the district’s safety and security best-practices self-assessment to the state; the board’s vote allows district staff to provide the confidential technical material to the state as required.
Ending: District and school staff will continue coordination with local law enforcement and seek grant opportunities to support identified improvements.
