Rusty Edwards, who presented the update, provided the board with a breakdown of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions, distinguishing between total disciplinary actions and unique students involved. The data revealed a complex “expulsion process” that often carries over from one school year to the next.

Board members expressed concern over the “purgatory” or “limbo” students face while awaiting final board action. Edwards clarified that for Zero-Tolerance Offensives or incidents involving weapons or knives, state legislation mandates a minimum one-year expulsion. Also, depending on when an incident occurs, a student could be expelled for the remainder of a current semester plus the following two semesters, totaling three semesters in rare cases.

Edwards also noted that the process is often delayed if parents fail to attend required meetings, though the student remains recommended for expulsion in the interim.

The “Consistency” Argument

Board member Mr. Jones noted a troubling trend, stating that at one of his schools, the number of students being suspended has nearly doubled in just four years. He questioned whether these “burgeoning numbers” indicated a failing school climate or a lack of resources to mitigate behavior.

Edwards argued that the high numbers are actually a sign of improved administrative integrity. He explained that the district has moved away from a “willy-nilly” approach in favor of a “strict adherence to the Matrix,” a standardized set of discipline guidelines. “The actual consistency of application, I think, is a reason as to why some of the numbers seem to be going higher,” Edwards told the board. He predicted that as students realize expectations are being held consistently, the numbers will eventually “come back down”.

Mitigation and Community Engagement

To address the current trends, the district is implementing several strategies. An ad hoc committee recently “tightened” the Discipline Matrix to ensure more efficient and fair application across all schools. Also, the district has partnered with the State Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Department, and the Tallahassee Police Department to deliver presentations to freshmen regarding the dangers of weapons, vaping, and fighting. These presentations are slated to expand to middle schools this year.

In addition, district leaders are holding ongoing “summits” and monthly meetings with Deans and Assistant Principals to review data and share alternatives to suspension
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Board members emphasized the need to communicate these changes to the public, ensuring the community understands that the high numbers reflect a “fair application” of rules intended to create a safer culture. “When you make certain that you respond to every incident fairly,” Mr. Jones remarked, “it then creates a culture of safety”.

A “Technology Center” in Crisis

The current TIS building, located at the corner of Appleyard and Pensacola Street, is a 46-year-old former electrical supply warehouse that has been “repurposed, repurposed, repurposed” over the decades. Justin Williamson, Director of TIS, warned board members that the facility’s infrastructure is no longer adequate to house the $5 million to $6 million worth of equipment that runs everything from district internet and security cameras to student data systems.

Williamson detailed several critical risks at the current site: The HVAC system, which must keep the server room at 68 degrees, is failing, risking equipment overheating. The fire suppression system is 30 years old, and the backup generators and power supplies are roughly 25 years old. The building suffers from constant leaks, including incidents where water poured directly into the server room.

If the current facility were to experience a total failure, Williamson estimated it could take at least a month to fully restore all district services.

The Proposed Solution

The Killearn Center property, which was appraised between $3.4 million and $3.9 million, was built specifically for digital broadcasting. Unlike the current TIS building, the facility features raised floors, gas fire suppression, and triple-redundant HVAC systems already in place.

Superintendent Hanna noted that the district’s current TIS property has been appraised at roughly $2.2 million to 2.3million Also, a buyer is already interested in purchasing it. After accounting for the sale and necessary move?in costs,Hanna estimated the net investment for the newbuilding would be approximately $1.5 million.

A Push for “One Roof” Consolidation

While board members generally agreed that the TIS department needs a new home, some pushed for a more comprehensive strategy to consolidate the district’s various administrative offices.

Board member Alva Smith argued against “piecemealing” buildings, suggesting the district should explore housing all employees under one roof to reduce overhead costs like roof maintenance and plumbing. “Now is an optimal time for us to be having this conversation,” Smith noted, pointing to the decline of commercial real estate prices.

The board has requested a comprehensive audit of all current administrative spaces, including the main administrative building and satellite offices like those on Bloxham Street. The goal of the audit is to determine the exact number of offices needed to potentially consolidate the entire district administration into a single, more efficient location.

Next Steps

The board requested a “menu” of options and a detailed plan of action before moving forward with the Karnes Center purchase. Superintendent Hannah agreed to reach out to local brokers to see if other properties could accommodate both the high-tech requirements of TIS and the general office needs of the district’s entire administrative staff.

The discussion also touched on the potential impact of the upcoming half-cent sales tax referendum, which could provide additional capital for long-term facility planning and physical plant improvements.

Augusta Raa Middle School accounts for the largest share of the district’s construction program. The school is slated for four major projects totaling $76.6 million, including two new classroom wings, a new gymnasium and performing arts center, and renovation of the administration and media wing along with site improvements.

Elizabeth Cobb Middle School is scheduled for three projects with a combined estimated cost of $49.5 million. Those include an 18-classroom wing, a second 18-classroom wing and a new cafeteria and performing arts center. Two of the three projects are identified as unfunded in the work plan.

John G. Riley Elementary School is planned to receive two projects totaling $41.5 million. The projects include construction of a new classroom wing and a new cafeteria and performing arts center. The classroom wing is currently listed as unfunded.

Griffin Middle School is scheduled for two projects totaling $15.5 million. Plans include construction of a new six-classroom wing, demolition of the existing gymnasium and remodeling of Building 12.

The district’s spending is heavily concentrated in the first three years of the plan. Capital expenditures are projected at $2.5 million in 2025-26, $32 million in 2026-27, $29.5 million in 2027-28, $16.5 million in 2028-29, and $103 million in 2029-30, bringing the five-year total to $183.5 million.

The budget passed on a 4-1 vote, with District 1 board member Alva Smith casting the lone dissenting vote. The approved budget is approximately $32 million smaller than last year’s.

Superintendent Rocky Hanna said district leaders continue to face many of the same financial pressures that shaped last year’s budget.

“None of us are happy about this budget situation,” Hanna said. “Our staffing plan, we only funded at 98% this year. Our emergency reserves are at the lowest that I’ve seen now in my 11th year as superintendent.”

The district previously announced $7.8 million in budget reductions for the coming school year, citing continued enrollment declines. The cuts affect staffing, administrative operations, arts and athletics programs, and funding for community organizations.

Hanna said district operations have already absorbed significant reductions in an effort to protect classrooms.

“We cut our district cost centers, all district operations, by over 6% this year by consolidating positions and reducing operating expenses,” Hanna said. “We’ll continue to look at ways to cut at the district and not affect the classroom, but at some point, the classroom is going to be affected.”

Smith argued the district has not gone far enough to reduce spending before asking employees to shoulder the burden.

“I’m going to be a no on the budget this year until we find a way to make the deep cuts to support our teachers and support staff,” Smith said.

Board Chair Marcus Nicolas disagreed, saying substantial work has already been done to reduce costs and that school consolidation has been discussed as a possible future option.

The budget also leaves little room for teacher pay increases. Hanna said the district may ultimately seek voter approval of a property tax increase to generate additional local funding for teacher and staff salaries.

The Leon Classroom Teachers Association posted a comment a social media account addressing the teacher pay issue.

The statement said ” We have consistently advocated for consolidating non-school operations before considering the consolidation or closure of schools. At the same time, the District cannot continue to make two conflicting arguments: that declining enrollment requires school consolidation while also claiming that vouchers have had little impact on student enrollment. Both cannot be true to the degree they are being presented…..Our analysis of the District’s financial data from the 2017–18 through the 2024–25 school years shows that instructional spending increased by approximately 9%, while administrative site spending increased by approximately 42%. We have repeatedly asked Leon County Schools to explain the reasons for this disparity, but to date no rationale has been provided. Before discussing the consolidation of schools, this is one area that deserves careful examination as a potential source of savings.”

The board is scheduled to formally adopt the final budget at its Sept. 8 meeting.

Leon County Schools announced that Julie Lawson was not reappointed as principal and that Nikki Bradley would lead the Midtown elementary school beginning with the 2026-27 school year. The district did not publicly detail the findings at the time of the personnel change, but confirmed the decision followed an internal investigation.

According to reporting by the Tallahassee Democrat, the investigation centered on the school’s handling of an incident involving a student and examined whether administrators followed district policies for reporting, documenting and communicating with parents. The investigation also reviewed allegations involving Lawson’s treatment of employees who raised concerns about school operations.

The investigation concluded Lawson failed to comply with several district policies, including timely parental notification and appropriate administrative procedures following the incident. The report also detailed allegations of retaliation against employees who reported concerns.

Leon County Schools has not publicly released the complete investigative report, citing personnel confidentiality requirements under Florida law. The district has also not announced whether Lawson resigned or whether additional disciplinary action was taken beyond her removal as principal.

Lawson became principal of Kate Sullivan Elementary in 2021 after serving as an assistant principal in Leon County Schools. During her tenure, she was recognized by the district and community organizations for her leadership and school improvement efforts.

Kate Sullivan Elementary, one of Tallahassee’s oldest neighborhood schools, serves approximately 725 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Nikki Bradley assumed leadership of the school following the district’s decision not to reappoint Lawson.

During a comprehensive presentation, David Solz, Director of School Improvement and Accountability, reported that Leon County saw proficiency increases across every core subject area. English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rose by 4% district-wide, while math scores saw a significant 5-point gain in grades 3-5. Science scores were particularly strong, increasing by 5 points across all levels and placing the district 7 points above the state average in Biology.

“I have never been more proud of our school district,” said Superintendent Rocky Hanna, noting the achievements of staff and students alike. “We’re point twenty-five. Point 25 away from an A”.

The individual school results were equally striking, with 85% of schools (33 out of 39) either maintaining or improving their letter grade. The district now boasts 28 schools rated “A” or “B,” the highest number since 2012. Notable highlights included:

• Bond Elementary earned the first “A” in the school’s history, with historic growth for its bottom 25% of students (88% in reading and 90% in math).
• Fairview Middle School jumped from a “C” to an “A”.
• Cobb Middle School and Sealy Elementary both secured “A” ratings.
• Griffin and Oak Ridge successfully exited “Differentiated Accountability” status.

Board members attributed the success to “intentional investments,” particularly in early learning and the introduction of the UFLI reading program. Board Member Jones remarked, “The proof has been in the pudding,” while highlighting the “full evolution” of the district’s budget investments in student preparation.

Comparing Leon County to similarly sized districts, Board Member Wood highlighted that Leon’s 72% performance metric significantly outpaced Alachua (59%), Bay (68%), and Escambia (63%). “That’s the kind of comparison we need to be making right there,” Wood said.

Board Member Smith added that the data serves as a powerful marketing tool for public education. “No matter what area of town you live in… you’re going to be successful in Leon County Schools,” Smith noted. Superintendent Hannah concluded that the district would “scream it from the mountain tops” to ensure the community recognizes these historic gains .

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.