District proposes changes to student progression plan and code of conduct; truancy, electronic devices and expulsion language updated

Bradenton, Fla. — Manatee County School District staff presented proposed revisions to the Student Progression Plan (SPP) and the Student Code of Conduct at the June 10 workshop, and asked the board to allow the documents to be advertised for public comment before final adoption.

What was proposed - Intensive-instruction and intervention language: Staff added language mirrored from Florida Department of Education technical assistance on how to identify and support students with substantial reading or mathematics deficiencies (including collecting additional diagnostic data for students who score Level 1 or 2 on state screens). - Accelerated-course access: The draft removes a GPA barrier for some middle-school students seeking high-school credit and instead emphasizes prior testing or teacher and parent recommendations to expand access to accelerated courses. - Participation and graduation clarity: The SPP clarifies who may participate in graduation ceremonies (with carve-outs for students in dual-enrollment or special-diploma-pathway programs) and proposes more consistent timelines for completing graduation requirements. - Career-technical and dual-enrollment pathways: Staff noted increasing use of dual-enrollment and technical-college programs; the draft keeps options for credits that count toward both high-school diplomas and postsecondary credentials.

Code of Conduct revisions and notable items - Extracurricular permissions: The draft inserts an explicit requirement that parent/guardian permission is needed each year for a student to participate in extracurricular activities; staff said this aligns with statute and best practice. - Truancy and new legislative language: The draft incorporates language from pending legislation regarding chronic truancy reporting and interventions. Staff explained the bill would require district-level documentation of interventions and semester reports to the board on students identified as truant (e.g., 15 or more unexcused absences in a 90-day window). District staff said they are preparing procedures to document intervention steps in district systems such as Focus. - Bullying and harassment: The district updated its "bully packet" and investigation procedures to match state statute language and clarified the process and documentation steps for schools. - Threats and expulsion: The draft adds statutorily required language on threats to school safety and spells out the process a principal would follow to recommend an expulsion to the superintendent, including investigation, documentation and an independent hearing-officer process. Staff said expulsion remains rare but wanted a clear, consistent process and guidance on receiving expelled students from other districts. - Electronic devices: The draft follows recent House language (House Bill 1105) and prohibits elementary and middle school students from using personal electronic devices during the school day; high-school students are restricted during instructional time except when a teacher designates authorized storage or grants prior permission for an educational purpose. Staff noted medical and documented-IEP/504 exceptions remain. - Artificial intelligence and academic integrity: Code updates mirror existing board policy on AI and require teacher authorization, ethical use and proper citation when students use generative tools.

Process and timeline Staff said the proposed edits will be presented on the June 24 board meeting for preliminary approval to advertise. The documents would be posted for a 30-day public comment period, with final board consideration scheduled for a July 29 meeting before the start of the school year. Staff asked the board to submit additional feedback and to direct the public to the online comment process.

Board and staff concerns Board members pressed staff for implementation details: how schools will triage parent communication and how principals and assistant principals should manage large volumes of incoming parent inquiries; how the district will operationalize truancy documentation if the legislation is signed; and how schools will enforce the electronic-device prohibition in grades K—2. Staff said IT, communications and principals are preparing summer training and parent outreach.

Ending The board did not vote on the changes at the workshop; staff will advertise the draft SPP and code of conduct for 30 days and return with any public comments and a final recommendation at the July meeting cycle.