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Deputy superintendent reports state compliance visits found paperwork errors and one unlocked door at district campuses
Summary
Deputy Superintendent Andy Leftridge told the board the state’s quarterly compliance visits covered four schools; one visit was fully compliant while three showed minor noncompliance, primarily paperwork form issues and one instance of an unlocked door. Staff said fixes have been implemented and automatic locks are planned.
Andy Leftridge, the district’s deputy superintendent, presented the Office of State Schools’ third-quarter compliance update, saying the state inspected four schools and found a mix of results.
"It is required under Florida statute for this update to be presented to the board," Leftridge told the board, adding that the state checks perimeter fences, locked gates, door locks, staff response protocols and documentation such as threat assessment forms.
Why it matters: The state compliance checks are statutory and focus on school safety procedures, physical security (doors and gates) and required documentation. Minor noncompliance can prompt corrective actions and affect a school’s compliance standing.
Leftridge said the district received one perfect compliance visit; three other visits were "extremely close, but we were noncompliant" because of paperwork that did not appear on the specific forms the state requires or a single unlocked door at one campus. He said the paperwork generally contained the necessary information but not always on the state’s designated form and that facilities staff have corrected the unlocked-door issue.
A board member asked which areas caused the noncompliance; Leftridge cited paperwork for threat assessments and one instance of a door that had failed to lock. "Paperwork has been one of them. So for threat assessments, they are just looking for specific things that are built into the agenda," he said, noting staff had recorded information but not on the exact state form. Leftridge added that door lock failures can happen through wear and use and said the district is moving toward installing automatic locks on doors to improve compliance.
District staff conduct practice visits to mirror what the state examines, Leftridge said; he reported that his office had done 15 internal visits with 13 showing no deficiencies, and that fixes submitted after inspections were accepted by the state. He characterized the issues as minor and under active correction.
Ending: Leftridge presented the update as an informational report; no board action was required. The district plans additional corrective steps, including standardizing paperwork on the state-required forms and work on door-locking hardware.
