Citrus School Board approves legislative priorities including local control for school start times and request for public-safety training annex funding

The Citrus County School Board on Monday voted unanimously to adopt a package of legislative priorities that asks the state to return certain decisions to local control and to consider several targeted funding requests.

The board's formal requests include rescinding the state'mandated 2026'2027 school start-time changes so districts can set start times locally; increased state support for hurricane and coastal mitigation projects tied to schools; additional transportation funding to address driver shortages and rising costs; continued legislative support to complete the Health/CTE academy at Crystal River High School; and a request for state appropriations to design and permit a public-safety training annex with an indoor firing range.

The board voted to ask staff and the superintendent to finalize language for submission to the legislative delegation and to allow communications staff to prepare the package for the Jan. 27 delegation meeting. The motions…