Leon County School Board Meeting Briefs: January 28, 2025

Leon County School Board Meeting Briefs: January 28, 2025

Provided below are news briefs from the January 28, 2025, Leon County School Board meeting related to Recognitions, Reports and items considered by Board members.

Recognitions & Reports

The Board recognized the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce Annual Title I Golf Tournament and accepted a donation focused on Title 1 schools.

The Board received an update on school choice marketing efforts.

Items Considered by the Board

Item 11.01: The Board approved a project that will fund the purchase and installment of advanced mechanical robotic equipment for expanding the Robotics Engineering Pathway program at SAIL high school.

Item 12.01: The Board approved a five-year Field Experience Agreement with Nova Southeastern University, to provide educational experiences for selected pre-service teachers.

Item 17.01: The Board approved the removal of portable classrooms located at Killearn Lakes Elementary School. The agenda item noted that the portables are not needed to meet capacity requirements and have been found to be no longer structurally feasible to maintain. 

Item 18.01: The Board voted to support the Superintendent recommendation to approve a Short Form Agreement with Rippee Construction, Inc., at Chiles High School Welding Lab Project.

Item 19.01: The Board discussed the K-5 Science Adoption Public Hearing scheduled for February 11th, 2025. The new science curriculum was chosen by a committee of teachers from all Leon County elementary schools off a list provided by the Florida Department of Education. The teacher’s final choice was McGraw Hill Florida Science, and the public has the opportunity to view the adopted materials online on the LCPS website.

Item 19.02: The Board voted unanimously to approve the 2024-2025 Compensation Plan, Memorandum of Understandings, and revisions to the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Leon County School and the Leon Classroom Teachers Association (LCTA). The compensation proposal includes a 3.037% increase for all teachers with at least one year of experience. Also included is a performance pay provision which will be supplemental for all teachers who are a part of LCTA.

Article revisions to the Collective Bargaining Agreement include an increase in bereavement leave from 3 days to 5 days, and the implementation of a sick-leave buyback plan. The sick-leave buyback plan will apply to any teacher who misses 4 or less days during the school year and is intended to reward teachers who maintain consistent attendance. The two other article revisions will span only the 2024-2025 contract years and include five days paid parental leave and an employee childcare assistance trial program. The childcare program will include free before and after school care for children of eligible employees.

The Superintendent also spoke on the current situation surrounding immigration and ICE raids happening across the county. The superintendent has been in talks with individuals across the county and recently sent out a memo across the district to all principals giving clear direction if agents arrive at their schools. Superintendent Hanna said that if agents show up with proper documents and subpoenas, that the school district will follow the law, continuing by saying that “This is more about bad actor adults that potentially are here illegally as opposed to 6 and 7 year olds”.