Superintendent Michael Burke told the Palm Beach County legislative delegation that the district is seeing “hugs and happy faces” after the first day of school and highlighted recent school gains while urging legislative help on funding and policy issues.

Burke, superintendent of the School District of Palm Beach County, said the district is now operating 183 schools, serves about 170,000 students and employs nearly 23,000 staff. “Our A‑rated district is celebrating success and looking toward the future,” he said during a presentation that included a short video of opening‑day scenes.

The superintendent front‑loaded academic highlights: schools that rose to an A letter grade (including Pine Jog and Rosenwald), growth in middle‑school accelerated math and in high‑school college‑level course participation, 2,810 graduates eligible for full Bright Futures scholarships last year, and a 95.9 percent graduation rate across district high schools. He also noted career and technical education (CTE) expansions and dual‑enrollment outcomes, including 130 graduates who earned two‑year associate degrees.

At the same time, Burke said Florida’s per‑pupil funding ranks are low and that local voters’ support through a one‑mill referendum materially improves the district’s ability to pay teachers, staff 900 full‑time positions funded by the referendum, and maintain safety and mental‑health services. “When we factor that in, it actually elevates Palm Beach County,” he said of the referendum funding.

Burke asked the delegation for continued help on several legislative priorities the board has approved: additional state funding for school safety to reduce the local gap, restoration and maintenance of performance‑bonus funding for college‑level courses, relief for textbook/adoption mandates, maintaining current vaccination requirements under Florida statute 1003.22, and consideration of expanding VPK to a full‑day program or increasing provider reimbursement.

The superintendent also raised concern about Schools of Hope co‑location rules that allow charter operators to occupy district campuses with limited cost recovery for the host district, and he asked the legislature to revisit cost‑recovery or negotiation provisions.

The presentation closed with an offer to share the district one‑page priorities package with legislators and an introduction of senior district staff, including the chief of schools and the head of school police. The district said it will follow up with the delegation on data requests and on items that may require statutory or budget action.

Proximity to the upcoming legislative session made the presentation a mixture of district accomplishments and a plea for continued and targeted state support. The superintendent repeatedly emphasized safety, teacher pay, CTE supports and funding predictability as near‑term asks.