School board adopts seven policy updates on safety, materials, student control and professional services

The Citrus County School Board voted to adopt seven policy updates presented during a public hearing. The revisions, many recommended by the district’s consultant NEFEC and reviewed by the Policy and Forms Committee, address school safety reporting, procedures for citizens to raise instructional‑material concerns, educational media, student suspension notifications, the use of restraint and seclusion for students with disabilities, selection of professional services, and overall district safety reporting.

Why it matters: The policies govern how staff and the public report concerns, how the district handles student discipline and safety, and how the district procures professional services for facilities and construction, all of which affect operations across schools in the county.

What the board adopted - Policy 3.4 (Safe and Secure Schools): Updates include reporting requirements for the Safe Schools Specialist and other revisions the board requested. Motion approved. - Policy 4.21 (Instructional Materials Selection): Clarifies that a citizen at large may submit concerns about instructional materials during the selection process. Motion approved. - Policy 4.22 (Educational Media Material Selection): Additional provisions for media materials and language from NEFEC. Motion approved. - Policy 5.3 (Student Control): Clarifies notifications and formal suspension notices. Motion approved. - Policy 5.343 (Use of Physical Restraint or Seclusion for Students with Disabilities): Adds prohibitions on seclusion for discipline, annual training, incident recording, and crisis intervention plans. Motion approved. - Policy 7.68 (Selecting Professional Services): New policy to align selection of professional services for facilities/construction with state law; includes construction cost limits for continuing contracts. Motion approved. - Policy 8.1 (Safety): Updates reporting of safety violations and progressive discipline language. Motion approved.

Vote and process Each policy was presented in a public hearing, the board called for public comment (no substantive public objections were recorded for these items during the hearing), and the board moved, seconded and approved each policy during the meeting. The district’s consultant NEFEC and the Policy & Forms Committee were cited as contributors to the recommended language.

Clarifying details District staff noted that materials recommended for adoption had been reviewed by the policy committee in September and presented at a January workshop; NEFEC language and workshop revisions were incorporated. Several policies referenced statutory or regulatory guidance; the policy implementing professional‑services selection cited state law on selection thresholds for continuing contracts.

What comes next Adopted policies will guide district practice; the board and staff will oversee implementation and ensure staff training or follow‑up (for example, required annual training for restraint incident reporting). The district will also use the revised professional‑services policy when planning construction and facilities engagements.