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Okaloosa school board adopts student policies, sets millage rates and approves tentative $843.7 million budget
Summary
The Okaloosa County School Board on a series of unanimous votes adopted several revised and new student policies including an artificial intelligence acceptable-use policy, approved proposed millage rates and adopted a preliminary tentative budget of $843,726,260.93 for fiscal year 2025–26.
The Okaloosa County School Board on Tuesday adopted multiple student-conduct and technology policies, set proposed millage rates and approved a preliminary tentative district budget for fiscal year 2025–26.
Board members voted unanimously, 4-0, to adopt the elementary and secondary codes of student conduct and to approve revisions to existing policies on student technology and discipline. The board also approved a new policy, School Board Policy 04-51, governing acceptable use of artificial intelligence by students and staff. In public hearings and roll-call votes later in the meeting, members set the district's proposed millage rates and approved a preliminary tentative budget totaling $843,726,260.93.
The actions matter because the policies will guide classroom and campus rules for the coming school year and the millage and budget votes set the district's revenue and spending framework for 2025'26. The board took the votes after hearing no members of the public request to speak on any of the items.
Most items were approved with little or no discussion. The board approved the following policy items in the public hearing series: the elementary and secondary codes of student conduct for 2025'26 (Item 15.1); a revision to School Board Policy 04-12 on student technology and Internet acceptable use (15.2); a revision to School Board Policy 04-32 on discipline (15.3); a new School Board Policy 04-51 on artificial intelligence acceptable use (15.4); and a revision to School Board Policy 11.18 on public conduct on campus (15.5). Each of those items passed on a recorded vote of 4-0.
On the artificial-intelligence policy, a board member briefly noted the policy references "probabilistic algorithms," but no public speakers addressed the item and the board voted to adopt it. The superintendent, identified in the meeting transcript only by role, praised senior staff for the information shared earlier in the day and said he "very much appreciate[d]" the work staff provided to summarize summer programming and district activities.
The board next approved proposed millage rates presented by board counsel McGinnis: a required local effort millage rate of 3.129 mills (Item 15.6); a basic discretionary operating millage rate of 0.748 mills (15.7); a capital outlay millage rate of 1.5 mills (15.8); and a total proposed millage levy of 5.377 mills (15.9). The board then adopted Resolution 25-05 to tentatively adopt those millage rates (15.10); the motion passed 4-0 after the board conducted the public-hearing process.
The board approved a series of tentative budget amounts across fund types: the general fund budget of $412,200,579.77 (Item 15.11); special revenue funds for food service of $27,041,369.25 (15.12); special revenue other federal programs (Fund 420) of $25,183,863.15 (15.13); miscellaneous internal funds (Fund 490) of $20,606,287.19 (15.14); debt service funds of $23,603,110.16 (15.15); capital projects funds of $278,371,507.92 (15.16); and internal service funds of $56,719,543.49 (15.17). Those items were combined into a district summary preliminary and tentative budget of $843,726,260.93 (15.18), and the board adopted Resolution 25-06 to adopt the district's preliminary and tentative budget for fiscal year 2025'26 (15.19). All budget-related votes passed 4-0.
The board also received information on the district's five-year capital outlay plan (15.20); the presentation was listed as informational and no vote was required. The consent agenda earlier in the meeting, which included adding item 7.25 (an extension of an agreement between the School Board of Okaloosa County and PT Solutions Holding LLC), was approved as presented.
No members of the public spoke during any of the public hearings, according to the meeting record. The board held multiple motions and roll-call votes; most motions were moved and seconded by board members identified in the transcript as Mr. Heinely, Mr. Bryant, Mr. Destin and Mr. Bridal.
The meeting concluded after board announcements, which included a brief mention of a district tour by two board members and a note that the board had presented several items earlier in a public workshop. The board adjourned after completing the published agenda.
Sources: Okaloosa County School Board meeting transcript (public hearings and votes, Items 15.1'15.20); on-the-record motions and roll-call votes recorded by the board clerk.
