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Palm Beach School Board reviews 2026 legislative priorities; members ask for draft language on vaccines and property-tax impacts
Summary
At a workshop on Sept. 10, district staff presented a draft 2026 legislative platform emphasizing school safety, increased funding for students with disabilities and ELLs, teacher pay, and pre-K; board members asked staff to draft specific language on vaccine requirements and property-tax changes and scheduled a follow-up workshop on Oct. 8.
District leaders presented a draft 2026 legislative-priorities platform that calls for increased funding for student safety and security, per-pupil funding for students with disabilities and English-language learners, higher teacher-salary allocations, expanded career-technical programs, full funding for state mandates, and additional early-childhood investments.
Dr. Yolanda Morgan, chief of staff, said the draft updates use last year's board-approved platform as a foundation and incorporate input from the superintendent and the district's state and federal lobbyists. On safety, Morgan listed items the district seeks support for "including our metal detectors, building access, hardening efforts, and any new high-quality technologies that become available." She also said the platform opposes any change to Florida statute 1003.22 regarding vaccination requirements for school enrollment while retaining existing exemptions.
Board members raised several topics for refinement. Vice Chair Marsha Andrews and Board Member Erica Whitfield suggested the district coordinate vaccine-priority language with the Palm Beach Medical Society; Whitfield also asked consultant Megan Faye to advise about possible property-tax proposals at the state level and their impact on school funding. Faye told the board the governor's office is expected to take the lead on property-tax policy and recommended drafting flexible language because the Legislature had not put forward a concrete plan at the time of the workshop.
The board also reviewed two appropriations requests: West Tech (career-technical equipment, instructor support and scholarships) and Roosevelt Elementary (continuation of last-year appropriations). Consultant Faye warned that last session's vetoes occurred in line-item distinctions between capital and operating, and she recommended that the district choose to seek either operational or capital funding for a project rather than both to improve chances of success.
Superintendent Burke and staff said the board can meet again on Oct. 8 if additional workshop time is required and they plan to bring the updated platform for adoption at the Oct. 15 regular meeting. Board members directed staff to work with Ms. Faye to draft specific proposal language on property taxes and vaccines for the next workshop.
