The Okaloosa County School Board discussed a proposed change to district student education records that would add ethnicity to the list of category A information.

Board member Joseph Chambers said he had a "principal issue" with including ethnicity and questioned the need for government to collect such data. "There is no need for any branch of government to know my ethnicity," Chambers said during a lengthy statement, adding that although he supports the Florida Department of Education overall, he was uncomfortable adding ethnicity to district policy "on principle."

Staff responded that the language aligns with state board rule and Florida Department of Education guidance, and that reporting is based on voluntary self-identification by the student or parent. Counsel and administrators noted that district policies must conform to state requirements; staff said they would follow up with the DOE for specific rationale and guidance for the data collection.

Board members asked whether the question is optional on the form and whether statistics would be skewed if reporting is voluntary; staff said the policy reflects state statute and the DOE's guidance, and that the form language includes a voluntary option. The discussion concluded with staff agreeing to research the DOE rationale further and return with additional information before any final action.

The agenda listed this item as "7.9 request to advertise a public hearing for revision of school board policies in chapter 5, student education records"; the meeting transcript records discussion and a request for additional information but does not record a final vote on the proposal.

Provenance: Board discussion of policy language and legal requirements is recorded in the meeting transcript beginning with the 7.9 item briefing and Joseph Chambers' remarks and ending with staff agreement to research DOE guidance.