Votes at a glance: Polk County board approves contracts, minutes and school land purchase
Summary
At the Jan. 27 meeting the Polk County School Board approved multiple routine items (minutes, consent agenda, audit contract and charter application) and approved a land assignment for a new high school by a 5–2 vote; several items were carried unanimously.
The Polk County School Board voted on multiple action items during its Jan. 27 meeting in Bartow.
What passed (selected items): - Acceptance of the meeting agenda (moved by Board member Wyatt, seconded by Board member Allen) — carried unanimously. - Five sets of minutes for December 2025 and January 2026 meetings — approved unanimously. - Consent agenda for Jan. 27, 2026 — approved unanimously. - U‑1: Contract extension for the board auditor — approved unanimously after motion by Board member Allen and second by Board member Miller. - U‑2: Cypress Junction Montessori one‑year contract extension — approved unanimously (moved by Board member Miller; seconded by Board member Fields). - U‑3: McKeel Academy Mulberry charter application (high‑performing school) — approved unanimously (moved by Board member Keyes; seconded by Board member Allen). - U‑4: Land assignment and purchase contract for the new 'BBB' high school — approved on a 5–2 vote (motion by Board member Miller, seconded by Board member Wyatt); the transcript records the final tally as 5 yes to 2 no. - V‑2: Student progress plan — approved unanimously. - V‑3: Multiple policy updates (employment, background checks, conflict of interest, educator misconduct, nursing mothers, procurement, travel, gifts, and others) — approved unanimously.
Votes labeled 'unanimous' in the record were called by voice and recorded as carried without recorded opposition; U‑4 (land assignment) was recorded as 5–2. The transcript does not attach individual ‘yes’ or ‘no’ names to every vocal vote beyond the movers/seconders and the recorded 5–2 tally for the land assignment.
Next procedural steps: district staff will proceed with the land purchase process for the approved property and continue to prepare materials for parents and the community on policy and student progress matters that passed.
