Board members voted to approve the district’s partnership with an international teacher recruitment program, allowing Leon County Schools to hire educators from abroad to fill difficult-to-staff positions. District officials have said the program helps recruit certified teachers in subject areas where local applicants remain in short supply while providing a cultural exchange experience for students and staff.

The board also unanimously approved hiring Caissa Public Strategies to lead a targeted student recruitment and retention campaign aimed at bringing former Leon County Schools students back to the district. According to the agenda item, the district will utilize a cooperative purchasing agreement originally established by the Houston Independent School District for communications support services.

Under the agreement, Caissa will contact families of students who previously attended Leon County Schools and encourage them to re-enroll. The company will be compensated based on results rather than a flat fee, receiving $935 for each former student who returns and is counted in the district’s October full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment survey. If a student re-enrolls and is first counted during the February FTE survey, the company will receive $450, provided it has not already been paid for that student.

The student recruitment effort comes as Leon County Schools continues to experience declining enrollment, a trend that directly affects district funding because Florida distributes education dollars largely based on student enrollment. District leaders hope the outreach campaign will reconnect with families who have left the school system while highlighting the programs and services available in Leon County Schools.

Together, the two unanimous votes reflect the board’s strategy of investing in both the workforce needed to educate students and the enrollment needed to sustain the district’s long-term financial stability.

The district announced the facilities would close beginning June 20, 2026, saying the decision applies to all high school tracks and fields “for the foreseeable future.” The announcement comes approximately nine months after Leon County Schools reopened selected tracks following a nearly two-year period when community access had been restricted.

The original closure in 2023 was driven by concerns over liability, security, vandalism and the district’s responsibility for maintaining school facilities. At the time, community members argued that the tracks provided important free spaces for exercise, running clubs and residents who did not have easy access to similar facilities.

In September 2025, Leon and Chiles high school tracks reopened under new restrictions. The tracks were available from sunrise to sunset when school activities were not taking place, with security cameras installed to monitor activity and discourage vandalism.

The reopening was viewed as a compromise between residents seeking access and district officials concerned about safety and costs. Leon High School was initially identified as the first facility to return to public use, with Chiles later included.

The latest closure has renewed debate over the balance between public access and school district risk management. Supporters of open tracks say school athletic facilities are community assets that promote health and recreation. District officials have maintained that student safety, facility protection and liability concerns must remain priorities.

The district has not announced a timeline for reopening the facilities, saying the closure will remain in place until further notice.

Nicolas is the current School Board chair and president of ESPMedia, a local media company. His wife is an assistant principal at RAA Middle School.

Reilly currently works in the hospitality industry. Since announcing his campaign, he has regularly attended school board meetings. He graduated from Godby High School in 1988. His wife currently works in the district’s HR department, 

Nicolas addressed “administrative bloating” by stating that comparisons with similar districts that show LCS has more administrative positions is misleading. He explained that while Leon County’s administrative staff may appear larger than neighboring districts, it is because Leon County keeps those positions in-house whereas other districts subcontract those same roles. He specifically called the claim that the district has 210 more administrators than peer groups “factually incorrect”.

However, Nicolas did concede that the district had more assistant principals than were warranted and stated that they are currently “correcting that”.

On staffing, Reilly said he’d like to see the board take a more proactive approach, and he said he thinks reducing top-level staff could be part of that answer.

“I also feel that we have a very top-heavy school system—I think that’s proven,” he said. “We have more people than we need. We continue to hire more at the district level, and we need to cut those jobs instead of hiring more if we have less students.”

On school choice, Riley said charter, private, and religious schools provide “healthy competition.” He argued that parents should have options because public schools have created their own problems, specifically citing issues like bullying as a reason students leave the district.

While he supported the district’s recent move to hire a third-party recruiter to bring students back, he called it a “reactive thing” and emphasized that the board needs to address the root causes of why families are choosing other options. Riley even stated that, at the current time, he might not personally recommend Leon County Public Schools to a new resident, noting that his own daughter attended Florida High
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Nicolas disagreed that the current environment represents healthy competition, primarily because of a lack of shared accountability standards. He argued that private schools receiving voucher money are not held to the same standards as public schools and have the ability to “sift through” the students they want while shunning others.

Nicolas made a pitch for public schools by noting that graduation rates have increased by 8%, and the district now features unique partnerships like on-campus banks to teach financial literacy and dedicated college and career centers.

On the property tax increase that is scheduled to be on the ballot in November, Nicolas said he strongly supports the increase, framing it as a critical investment in the district’s workforce and security. He highlighted that Leon County teachers currently rank 44th in pay in Florida.

Riley opposes the property tax increase, arguing that the district should look inward to its current budget before asking taxpayers for more money. He stated he cannot justify an additional $300 per person per year in property taxes for community members who already feel “crushed.” His backup plan, should the tax fail, is to cut executive positions at the district level that he deems unnecessary.
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TR has previously published comparison data on the number of staff members. This report looks at the dollars being spent the staff.

The comparison includes five similarly sized Florida school districts: Leon, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Alachua, and Bay counties. Leon County Schools has a student population of 30,964, placing it near the top of the peer group. The analysis found that Leon’s spending exceeds the peer group average in three of the four staffing categories reviewed.

The largest difference is in non-teacher instructional staff, which includes positions outside the traditional classroom setting that support instruction. Leon spends approximately $16.54 million in this category, compared to the peer group average of $12.22 million. That represents about $4.32 million more than the average district in the comparison.

Leon also spends more on school administration than its peers. The district allocates approximately $26 million for school administrative staffing, compared to the peer average of $19.33 million. The difference of $6.68 million is the largest staffing gap identified in the analysis.

The third category where Leon exceeds its peers is student support staff. Leon spends $13.4 million, while the average among comparable districts is $14.98 million. Unlike the other categories, Leon is actually below the peer average in this area by approximately $1.58 million.

Combined, the analysis shows Leon County Schools spending approximately $9.42 million more than the peer group average across the three staffing categories when adjusted for the differences identified.

Overall staffing costs for Leon total approximately $55.94 million, compared with the peer group average of $46.52 million. Among the districts studied, only Alachua County’s total staffing-related expenditures ($52 million) were closer to Leon’s level. Okaloosa County spent $47.39 million, Santa Rosa spent $46.30 million, and Bay County spent $40.40 million.

The comparison comes as Leon County Schools faces discussions about future funding needs, enrollment trends, and a proposed property tax referendum intended to generate additional revenue for district operations.

District officials have argued that additional funding is necessary to maintain educational programs and address rising costs. Critics have questioned whether the district should first evaluate existing staffing levels and spending patterns before seeking additional taxpayer support.

The data highlights areas where Leon’s spending patterns differ substantially from similar-sized school systems and may prompt further discussion about staffing priorities and resource allocation.

Peer Group Analysis

But what about school districts with comparable student enrollment and that are in the same region of Florida?

A comparison of five similarly sized Florida school districts (See table below) shows Leon County Schools employs significantly more administrators and non-instructional staff than most of its peers, despite having a student population nearly identical to several neighboring districts.

The Florida department of Education data provides a standardized comparison among districts and their peers, offering a snapshot of how Leon County’s staffing levels compare with those across the state during the 2025-26 school year. The FDOE administrator category includes principals, assistant principals, and deans. The non-instructional category includes social workers, school psychologists and school counselors.

According to 2025-26 staffing data, Leon County Schools serves 30,964 students, making it the second-largest district among the comparison group behind Okaloosa County, which enrolls 31,055 students. Despite the similar enrollment figures, Leon County employs 211 administrators, substantially more than Okaloosa’s 144 administrators. These 211 adminstrators include 81 assistant principals TR has previously reported on.

Leon also exceeds Santa Rosa County’s 110 administrators and Alachua County’s 173 administrators. Only Bay County, with 222 administrators serving 27,126 students, reports a higher administrative total. The disparity is even greater among non-teacher instructional and support staff. Leon County employs 415 noninstructional personnel, the highest total among the five districts.

By comparison, Santa Rosa and Alachua counties each employ 248 non-teacher staff members, Bay County employs 239, and Okaloosa County employs 226.

The average number of administrators and non-teacher instructional staff for the Leon’s peer group is 403. This is 224 staff members less than the numbers reported by LCS.

The staffing comparison comes as school districts across Florida face budget pressures tied to enrollment trends and increased scrutiny of administrative spending. The figures come as LCS continues to confront declining student enrollment, a trend that reduces state funding because Florida’s education formula is largely based on student counts. Critics have argued that administrative growth has outpaced enrollment trends and have called for closer scrutiny of staffing levels outside the classroom. Supporters of the district’s staffing structure contend that modern school systems require specialized personnel to manage student services, accountability requirements, technology, safety initiatives, and other operational responsibilities that have expanded in recent years.

The staffing comparisons are likely to attract additional attention as district leaders evaluate budget priorities and as community members debate proposals involving school funding and operational efficiency.

LCS Addresses Staffing Issue

During the last school board meeting, elected officials voted 4-1 to approve the placement of a 1 mil property tax increase on the November ballot. If passed by the voters, the tax would raise approximately $24 million. After the vote, Chair Marcus Nicolas acknowledged the concern about staffing but took the position that the tax increase and the “administrative structure” were not connected. The board scheduled a workshop to address the issue.

The adopted resolution specifically targets “compensation” for teachers and staff. Board members spent significant time debating the word “compensation” versus “pay,” eventually settling on the former because it is broader and includes benefits. While the ballot title focuses on teachers due to word count limits, the full 75-word ballot language will explicitly include support staff, such as bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers.

The lone dissenting vote came from Laurie Cox, who expressed deep concern over the burden on local taxpayers. Cox noted that while the board had not raised the millage rate in years, rising property values have already resulted in de facto tax increases. “I just feel like right now is not the right time to ask our taxpayers for more money,” Cox said, arguing the district should find savings within its existing budget rather than adding to a tax load that already includes the Children’s Services Council.

Other members, however, argued that the district has reached a breaking point. Rosanne Wood contended that the board has already “cut to the bone”. She noted that Leon County is competing with Georgia, where teachers often make significantly more, and with 29 other Florida counties that have already passed similar millage increases. Wood stated that to find equivalent funding without the tax, the district would have to close approximately 26 neighborhood schools, which she called “pillars of our communities”.

Member Smith offered what she called “reluctant support”. Though she campaigned on increasing teacher salaries, she expressed frustration that the board had not pursued school consolidations or administrative downsizing before asking the public for more money. Ultimately, she decided to support the measure to let the community decide the value of teacher pay.

Member Daryl Jones emphasized the importance of “direct democracy,” framing the vote as an opportunity for citizens to weigh in on community values.

Addressing public concerns about “administrative bloating,” the Chair Marcus Nicolas acknowledged the issue but insisted the board could “walk and chew gum at the same time,” addressing administrative structure through separate, ongoing discussions while the tax measure proceeds.

School board member Laurie Cox voted no.

Board members said the referendum is needed to provide additional flexibility in the district’s budget, particularly as rising operational costs and state funding challenges strain finances. District officials have pointed to increasing health insurance costs, restricted funding streams, and the impact of school choice programs as contributing factors behind the budget difficulties. Earlier this year, the district cut nearly $7 million from its budget while also pursuing renewal of a separate half-cent sales tax.

The measure, which now advances to the Leon County Commission for ballot placement approval, would increase property taxes for four years beginning in 2027 if approved by voters.

The proposal has drawn criticism from residents and community observers who argue the district has not adequately addressed long-term financial management issues before seeking additional taxpayer funding. Critics have highlighted that student enrollment in Leon County has declined for at least five consecutive years, while the district has continued adding administrative positions.

Questions about administrative growth have become a focal point in the debate. Critics contend the district has failed to explain why more administrative staff are needed despite serving fewer students. Others have called for an independent review of the district budget before voters are asked to approve higher property taxes.

Supporters of the referendum argue the additional funding is necessary to maintain employee pay, school safety initiatives, and educational services amid continued financial uncertainty.

After the vote, board members and Superintendent Hanna pledged to address the administrative staffing issue.

The item will come before the Board on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Originally, school board members talked about how the property tax revenue would be used just for teacher salaries. However, now that has changed and the language that will go before the voters in November will allow the new property tax revenue to be used for all school staff pay, not just teachers.

The property tax proposal – not to be confused with the half-penny sales tax – would raise approximately $24 million annually from Leon County property owners. That is a significant burden at a time when residents are already dealing with rising insurance costs, inflation, and higher property taxes driven by increasing home values. Before asking citizens for more money, the school board must demonstrate that it is managing current resources responsibly.

One of the biggest unanswered questions involves declining enrollment. Student population in Leon County Schools has been falling for at least the last five years. In most organizations, shrinking demand leads to restructuring and cost reductions. And while some cuts have been adopted for this year, new tax revenue could make it easier for officials to delay difficult but necessary decisions.

Also, while enrollment declined, the school board hired more administrators. Some have repeatedly asked why additional administrative positions are necessary when fewer students are attending district schools. To date, the district has failed to provide a convincing explanation.

Equally concerning is the lack of long-term planning. School districts across Florida facing enrollment declines have begun difficult but necessary conversations about consolidating campuses, closing underused schools, and streamlining operations. Leon County Schools has offered no comparable plan despite clear demographic trends.

Avoiding these discussions does not make the financial realities disappear. Maintaining underutilized facilities while expanding administrative overhead is not a sustainable strategy, particularly when district leaders are simultaneously asking homeowners for another $24 million each year.

Before any property tax increase moves forward, the school board should invite respected community leaders, business executives, financial professionals, and parents to conduct an independent review of the district budget. A collaborative process could identify efficiencies, reduce waste, and build public trust. Taxpayers deserve to know that every reasonable reform has been considered before they are asked to pay more.

Public education is vital to Leon County’s future, but accountability matters too. Voting against this proposed tax increase would be a vote for transparency, responsible planning, and fiscal discipline.

Recent TR Related School Board Reports

Fewer Students, Higher Taxes

LCS Leads State in Assistant Principal Positions

Double Digit Enrollment Drops Hit Five Florida School Districts

LCS Seeks Renewal of Half-Penny Sales Tax, $500M in Revenue

Leon County School Board Wrangle Over Budget Cuts

LCS Board Rejects Citizen Review in 3-2 Vote

LCS Adds 47 Administrators as Student Enrollment Declines

The analysis also addressed a meeting attended by two school members and the implications related to the Florida Sunshine law.

The memorandum, dated May 19 and authored by attorney Louise Wilhite-St Laurent, analyzed RFQ 113-2026, the solicitation for construction manager services related to the new construction, renovation, demolition and site work project at Raa Middle School.

According to the memo, the district issued the request for qualifications on Feb. 12 through its public procurement portal. Seven firms submitted responses that were deemed responsive and advanced to the scoring process.

The memo acknowledged that district staff initially calculated interview scores using only five committee members instead of six, but noted that the corrected calculation did not change the final vendor rankings.

The legal analysis states that vendors had multiple opportunities under Florida law to protest the solicitation, the short-list selection process and the final recommended award, but no protests were filed within the required 72-hour windows. The memo argues that the failure to file timely protests waived the vendors’ rights to later challenge the process.

The attorney ultimately concluded that the superintendent’s recommendation to award the contract to Rippee Construction is “legally sound” and can be approved by the School Board “without significant subsequent legal risk.”

The memorandum also addressed questions surrounding an April 29 information meeting attended by two School Board members and representatives from construction firms. The meeting raised concerns about whether the gathering violated Florida’s Sunshine Law or the district’s Cone of Silence policy governing procurement communications.

The two school members attending the meeting were Daryl Jones and Marcus Nicolas.

Wilhite-St Laurent concluded that no Sunshine Law violation occurred because no official action was taken or intended during the meeting. The memo further stated there was no substantive discussion of the RFQ itself and therefore no Cone of Silence violation.

The item is scheduled to be addressed at the May 26 Leon County School Board meeting.

Pasco County, near Tampa, is second with 397.5 students for every assistant principal position. The state average is one assistant principal position for every 486.6 students.

The data shows that LCS employees 88 assistant principals. If LCS followed the state average, the number of assistant principals would be reduced to 62 positions, a decline of approximately 27%.

TR has previously reported that from 2018-219 to 2024-25, LCS school administrators increased by 28%, from 170 to 217. The 47 positions added during this period included 13 assistant principals.

As these administrator positions were being added, the number of students dropped by approximately 8%, from 33,543 in 2018 to 29,990 in 2024. In addition, the number of teachers decreased from 2,070 in 2018 to 1,772 in 2024. Also, the “School Administration” budget line item increased by $23% or $4.7 million, from $20.4 million to $25.1 million.

Statewide, Florida’s K-12 student population declined from 2.84 million students in 2018-19 to 2.79 million in 2024-25, a decrease of about 53,700 students, or 1.9%.

Among large districts, Pinellas County Schools recorded the steepest percentage decline, losing 16.8% of its enrollment over the six-year period. The district dropped from 100,985 students to 84,064 students, a loss of nearly 17,000 students.

The chart below shows the changes in student enrolment from 2018/19 to 2024/25 for districts with over 10,000 students in 2024/25.

Broward County Public Schools posted the largest numeric decline, shedding 29,244 students, or 10.8%. Leon County Schools ranked among the districts with the highest percentage losses, falling 10.6% from 33,543 students to 29,990 students.

Other districts with notable declines included School District of Indian River County at minus 10.6%, Escambia County School District at minus 10%, and Seminole County Public Schools at minus 7.8%.

On the growth side, Hendry County School District recorded the state’s largest percentage increase, nearly doubling enrollment from 7,322 students to 14,194 students, a 93.9% increase.

Several fast-growing districts were concentrated in Central and Northeast Florida. St. Johns County School District grew 21.7%, while Walton County School District increased 20.2% and St. Lucie Public Schools expanded 18.4%.

Other districts posting sizable gains included Pasco County Schools at 9.6%, Lee County School District at 7.4%, and School District of Osceola County at 6.7%.

School Closures

Several of the Florida school districts that experienced the largest enrollment declines since 2018-19 are now actively closing or consolidating schools because of falling student numbers and related budget pressures.

Pinellas County Schools, which posted the state’s largest percentage decline among major districts at 16.8%, has already approved multiple school closures and consolidations. In February 2026, the school board voted to close Cross Bayou Elementary and Disston Academy while also merging and restructuring other campuses to address long-term enrollment losses and rising operating costs.

District officials said the changes were part of a broader “Planning for Progress” initiative prompted by years of declining enrollment. Earlier in the process, administrators warned that additional closures could follow.

Broward County Public Schools, which lost more than 29,000 students between 2018-19 and 2024-25, is also pursuing a large-scale downsizing effort. The district has considered closing, consolidating, or repurposing dozens of campuses under its “Redefining Our Schools” initiative.

Reports indicate Broward officials proposed shutting down at least seven schools amid a projected budget shortfall tied to declining enrollment.

Statewide, enrollment losses have been linked to lower birth rates, expanded school choice programs, charter school growth, homeschooling, and private-school voucher programs. Former Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said in 2024 that some school closures are an expected consequence of increased school choice competition.

While Leon County Schools ranked among the districts with the sharpest enrollment declines, current web reports did not show the district formally moving to close schools at this time. Other districts with notable losses, including Escambia County School District and Seminole County Public Schools, also have faced ongoing discussions about capacity and enrollment management, though large-scale closures have not received the same statewide attention as Pinellas and Broward.

According to materials presented to board members, the Tennessee-based company specializes in student recruitment, retention and chronic absenteeism campaigns for public school districts across the country. Caissa says it currently works with more than 100 districts in over two dozen states and uses political-style campaign strategies to identify and recruit students.

The proposal comes as Leon County Schools faces financial pressure linked to declining enrollment. Public school districts receive state funding based largely on student attendance, meaning each student who leaves for a charter school, private school, home-schooling or another district reduces district revenue. Community discussions in Tallahassee have increasingly focused on enrollment losses and potential budget cuts or school consolidations.

The company’s materials describe a “performance-based” model in which districts pay only for students who successfully enroll and attend school. Caissa says it tracks students individually to verify results and uses outreach tactics including canvassing, direct mail, phone calls, digital advertising, community events and grassroots organizing.

Caissa officials argue public school districts now operate in a competitive environment and must actively market their programs to families. The company says its campaigns are designed to improve enrollment trends, increase state funding tied to student counts and strengthen public awareness of district offerings.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Caissa’s proposal is the company’s fee structure. While Leon County Schools has not publicly released a proposed payment amount, contracts in other districts provide insight into the company’s pricing model.

In Orange County Public Schools, district officials approved a contract paying Caissa $935 for every student successfully recruited or recovered who remained enrolled for at least 30 instructional days. District officials there said the company helped re-enroll 1,932 students during the first year of the agreement, generating approximately $1.8 million in payments to Caissa. However, Orange County officials argued each returning student also generated nearly $8,950 in state funding, leaving the district with a net financial gain.

A similar contract approved this year by Hartford Public Schools also pays Caissa $935 per recruited student, with the agreement capped at $500,000.

Caissa describes its services as “performance-based,” meaning districts pay only for verified enrollment results rather than traditional advertising fees. The company’s campaigns include direct mail, phone calls, digital advertising, canvassing, community events and grassroots outreach.

Leon County Schools officials have not yet announced whether the board will move forward with a contract.