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Board approves student progression plan updates; K'8 wireless device restriction added per state law
Summary
The Monroe County School Board approved the 2025'26 student progression plans for elementary, middle and high school. Updates align K'8 wireless device policy to Florida House Bill 1105, add new concordance scores for graduation pathways and adjust elective credit requirements for personal finance.
The Monroe County School Board approved revisions to the district'wide student progression plans for elementary, middle and high school as part of the board's action items.
The approved changes include an update to restricted use of wireless devices that aligns the district language to Florida House Bill 1105: elementary and middle school students are prohibited from using cell phones, smartwatches, smart glasses or other wireless communications devices from arrival to dismissal, with exceptions considered for verified medical or educational needs. High school provisions remain unchanged and permit device use during passing periods and lunch and when allowed by a teacher in instruction.
High'school changes also reflect recent state updates to concordance and comparative scores for meeting grade'10 English language arts and algebra I graduation options. The district added additional accepted assessments (for example, PSAT 10, preACT and CLT 10 were added as concordant options) and noted some assessment score thresholds have been increased by the state.
The plan adjusts graduation credit language to incorporate the new personal finance half'credit requirement and changes elective-credit totals to account for that course: elective credits were reduced from 8 to 7.5 to allow for the half'credit personal finance requirement.
The board also revised valedictorian and salutatorian eligibility criteria for the class of 2029 cohort to accept credits from accredited private schools for GPA calculation and added honor'code compliance to eligibility criteria. The plan retains prior exclusions for homeschool and private tutorial grades in GPA calculations.
During discussion, board members asked how PSAT 8/9 results are used. Staff described PSAT 8/9 as a segue to PSAT 10 that provides data on AP potential and helps guidance staff identify students for accelerated pathways. Board members asked staff to document the operational use of PSAT results and to ensure assessment administration is aligned to instructional objectives rather than only practice.
Formal action: The board moved and approved the 2025'26 student progression plans for elementary, middle and high school by motion; the minutes record the motion passed with no member voting "no."
