Board reviews NEFEC-recommended policy updates covering employment, transportation, change orders, foreign-exchange, naloxone and expulsions

The Citrus County School Board reviewed a set of policy updates recommended by NEFEC during the workshop. Board members discussed wording changes, statutory alignment and implementation details across several policies.

Employment of nondegreed vocational personnel (policy 6.114): Staff presented a recommendation to expand qualifications and change the title and language to include fine and performing arts personnel. Board members suggested replacing the dated term “vocational” with “career and technical” and flagged the need to confirm any statutory language before finalizing the title.

Student transportation (policy 8.31): The update adds language addressing authorized persons on school buses and a citation for Florida Statute 810.097. Board members asked about where signage would be placed; staff noted restrictions on exterior signage and that either posted signage or a verbal warning by drivers is acceptable. Members raised safety concerns related to weapons at bus stops and the question of jurisdiction when stops are on private property.

Change orders (policy 8.52): The revision aligns district practice with statutory language that deems a change order and price approved if the district fails to issue a decision within 35 days after receiving a price quote. Board members discussed the statute and the need for administrative attention to deadlines on construction change orders.

Certification continuity (policy 6.20): The NEFEC-recommended update clarifies continuity of certification for administrative and instructional personnel; committee review occurred in September and no substantive alterations were requested in the workshop.

Foreign-exchange students (new policy 5.90): The board reviewed a new policy covering federal criteria for accepting foreign-exchange students. Members asked staff to replace references to the obsolete INS with USCIS and discussed limits on district inquiry into immigration status; staff said approved exchange organizations generally manage visa paperwork and that districts should accept standard enrollment documents while avoiding direct status inquiries when parents present for enrollment.

Emergency opioid antagonist (policy 5.52): The district proposed repealing and rewriting the existing naloxone policy to use the nonproprietary term “emergency opioid antagonist” (EOA). Staff explained that multiple brands and generic formulations exist and that the rewrite prevents reliance on a single brand. Members questioned a clause in the draft that said the term “employee” would include trained volunteers; staff suggested clarifying the language to read “district employees and trained volunteers” to avoid implying volunteers are district employees or eligible for pay.

Zero tolerance for school-related crimes / expulsions (policy 5.32): Revisions were presented to reflect changes in state law (attach House Bill 1255) allowing for extensions of expulsion periods in cases involving threats to school safety. Staff explained the process: the threat-management team monitors students under an SSMP (student safety/monitoring plan), the superintendent may recommend extension of an expulsion and the board makes a final determination. Members discussed using therapist evaluations and other outside-provider input as part of extension decisions and emphasized following statutory definitions (statute 1006.13 was cited) when applying extensions.

Board members did not vote on the policy changes during the workshop but directed staff to make clarifying edits (for example, replacing INS with USCIS and refining volunteer language) and to bring final language back for formal action.