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Board reviews revisions to threat-management policy; members raise concerns about permanent portal records
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Summary
Staff presented updates to policy JIC K to align with state rule changes, including mandatory threat-portal reporting and training. Board members pressed on permanence of portal records and lack of appeal rights for students labeled in the portal.
Legal and safety staff presented proposed revisions to policy JIC K on April 28 to align Orange County Public Schools with updated state rules on threat management and school safety.
Alkevia Haynes, staff attorney in the Office of Legal Services, explained the changes required by the updated Florida administrative rule, including that the district threat-management team must include primary and secondary coordinators, that specific team members must complete role-specific training, and that every school must provide annual guidance and training to students and staff about recognizing and reporting concerning behavior. The presentation emphasized that threat assessments and related meetings must be documented in the Florida School Safety and Threat Management portal (FSTMP) and that schools must record meeting dates, attendance, student-support-management plans and actions taken.
Board members voiced concern about the portal’s requirement to record all reports — including those ultimately judged "unfounded" — and asked whether those entries would remain accessible and whether there is any appeal or removal process. Legal counsel and threat-management staff explained that the portal workflow requires an initial entry when a school-based team becomes aware of a concerning behavior and that the district threat-management team may revise determinations (for example, changing a status to "unfounded"). Counsel said current state law and administrative rules require portal use and that the legislature has not provided a formal appeal mechanism for threat-determination findings.
Member Gallo asked whether unfounded entries would be permanent and whether a student could suffer collateral consequences (for example, affecting future college admissions). Staff said an "unfounded" label remains in the portal but described it as a cleared finding; legal counsel confirmed there is no statutory administrative appeal procedure for threat-determination outcomes, though discipline derived from a determination (if any) would be subject to standard due process rights.
The board asked for clarification about who may access portal records and how long records are retained; staff said the portal is permanent and that any access beyond district staff would be governed by law and future guidance, noting some discussion in the Legislature about potential access for colleges, but no formal written authorization yet.
Ending: Staff proposed the policy changes to comply with rule updates and noted training deadlines; board members signaled they would consider potential legislative requests or additional local safeguards to address concerns over data permanence and due process.
