The Palm Beach County School Board on Tuesday voted to approve several administrative and policy items added to the agenda for good cause, including a joint county legislative priorities letter, the Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards' 2026 federal legislative program, an amendment to an existing insurance-broker contract process, and a personnel addendum to allow employees to begin in new positions.

Superintendent Mike Burke recommended approval of COS 1, a joint legislative priorities letter to be signed by county partners and sent ahead of the 2025 Florida legislative session, and the board approved it on a motion by board member Erica Andrews, seconded by Vice Chair Lane. The board separately approved COS 2, the Greater Florida Consortium's federal legislative program for 2026, on a motion by Mr. Ferguson and a second by Ms. Branch.

The board also approved FMPF2, the superintendent's recommendation to authorize a third amendment to RFP 16C001W for property and casualty insurance broker and consultant services and to authorize the superintendent and chair to finalize and sign necessary documents. The motion was made by Ms. Whitfield and seconded by Ms. Andrews. Ms. Branch disclosed before the vote that the Beacon Group, named in the RFP amendment, had provided her personal homeowner insurance prior to her election and stated she would abstain from voting on that item; the meeting transcript records the motion as carrying after the vote.

The board approved P2, a personnel addendum intended to allow employees to begin in newly authorized positions, on a motion by Ms. Andrews with a second from Ms. Whitfield.

Other procedural business also passed without extended debate: the consent agenda and prior meeting minutes were approved, and the board adjourned with holiday remarks.

What the board approved

- COS 1 (Joint legislative priorities): recommended by the superintendent; motion by Erica Andrews; second by Vice Chair Lane; approved.

- COS 2 (Greater Florida Consortium federal legislative program, 2026): recommended by the superintendent; motion by Mr. Ferguson; second by Ms. Branch; approved.

- FMPF2 (Third amendment to RFP 16C001W — property and casualty insurance broker/consultant): motion by Ms. Whitfield; second by Ms. Andrews; Ms. Branch disclosed a personal connection and indicated an abstention; motion recorded as carrying.

- P2 (Personnel addendum): motion by Ms. Andrews; second by Ms. Whitfield; approved.

Meeting procedure and transparency

Before the FMPF2 discussion, Ms. Branch disclosed the prior personal relationship with a named broker, stating, “He does my homeowner insurance before I got elected,” and the board noted the disclosure on the record. The superintendent requested authority for the chair and staff to sign final documents where needed.

Next steps

The board did not set specific implementation deadlines in the meeting for actions arising from the legislative items; the superintendent and board chair were authorized to finalize and sign documents where noted. The district will post the meeting recording on its website within 24 hours.

(Reporting in this roundup is drawn from the district meeting transcript and the motions recorded during the December meeting.)