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Broward School District board meeting, date not confirmed yet

4 h 59 min · 2 videos

Discussed school closures

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 4 h 59 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Part 1 · 2 h 13 min

Broward school board approves item 1 on the DEFP as amended 2:05:13

  • Board members spent much of the discussion on athletic facilities, approving motions to add bleachers and artificial turf fields for J.P. Taravella, West Broward, Monarch and Hollywood Hills High. 13:20
  • A substitute motion failed 4⁠-⁠4, and an amendment placing lighting systems at $2 million each in FY28 and FY29 passed unanimously. 1:20:53
  • The board adopted item 1, the District Educational Facilities Plan, as amended. 2:05:13
  • The board also directed the general counsel to review recent and pending construction program solicitations, a motion that passed with one dissenting vote. 2:10:44

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (12)
  1. Opening and agenda 0:58
    • The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Maura McCarthy Bulman. 0:58
    • A staff member said there were no changes to the agenda, and the board's attorney explained the public comment rules under School Board Policy 1020. 3:05
    • The chair announced the agenda was closed. 3:16
  2. Facilities plan overview and presentation 5:18
    • The superintendent said the plan recommends funding for a new auditorium at Coral Glades High School and building replacements at Mary Bethune Elementary, Parkway Middle School and Robert C. Markham Elementary School. 7:18
    • The staff member also highlighted an additional $23 million for PPO planned maintenance initiatives. 9:23
    • A finance staff member said projected capital revenues for the next 5 years total approximately $4 billion, with unallocated carryover of $59 million and $416 million dedicated to ongoing capital projects. 9:53
  3. Bleachers for four high schools 12:23
    • Debra Hixon moved to add bleachers at J.P. Taravella, West Broward, Monarch and Hollywood Hills High for $500,000 per school this fiscal year. 13:20
    • The motion passed unanimously. 14:17
  4. Artificial turf fields for four high schools 14:19
    • Debra Hixon moved to add J.P. Taravella, West Broward, Monarch and Hollywood Hills to the list of schools receiving artificial turf fields. 14:19
    • A facilities staff member said the turf fields cost $2 million per field, and Dr. Allen Zeman asked whether the four schools would be the highest priority. 15:25
    • Asked by Lori Alhadeff where the money would come from, a staff member said it would come from the unallocated reserve of about $71.71 million. 23:29
    • The motion passed unanimously. 24:28
  5. Video scoreboards at turf field schools 24:34
    • Debra Hixon moved to add video scoreboards at schools receiving artificial turf fields at $500,000 per school, later revising the count to 20 schools for a total of $10 million. 24:34
    • One board member said the proposal did not pass their test and asked the superintendent whether over $20 million for athletic fields was the highest priority for capital resources. 30:43
    • One board member said they could not vote for the motion as written but could support it if the timeline changed. 1:14:36
    • An amendment by Lori Alhadeff to limit video scoreboards to J.P. Taravella, West Broward, Monarch and Hollywood Hills High School failed, and a later substitute motion failed 4⁠-⁠4. 1:20:53
  6. Baseball and softball field lights data 1:21:10
    • Debra Hixon moved to direct the superintendent to gather data on which high schools need lights for baseball and softball fields and the cost, no later than October 30th, 2026. 1:21:10
    • The motion received no second. 1:21:40
  7. Middle school theater sound and lighting 1:21:49
    • Debra Hixon moved to add a new sound system and lighting for Seminole Middle School at an approximate cost of $250,000, to be funded when money becomes available. 1:21:49
    • A staff member said the system is outdated and costs more to maintain than it would to replace. 1:29:52
    • The motion passed unanimously. 1:31:57
  8. Additional schools for turf fields 1:32:06
    • Maura McCarthy Bulman moved to bring back the turf field motion and add Plantation High School and Hallandale to the list. 1:34:31
    • Dr. Allen Zeman moved to amend the motion to add Fort Lauderdale High School and Stranahan to receive synthetic turf fields. 1:36:59
    • The amendment passed unanimously, and the motion as amended passed unanimously. 1:38:26
  9. Maintenance spending and budget format 1:39:10
    • Dr. Allen Zeman said $68.74 million in the PPO budget plus the added $23 million totals $92.04 million and asked how the district would spend $7.7 million per month. 1:39:10
    • One board member asked that future budgets clearly distinguish between spending and authorizing money. 1:42:18
  10. Field lighting for high schools 1:43:40
    • Rebecca Thompson moved to add lighting systems at West Broward, J.P. Taravella, Monarch and Hollywood Hills at the same time they receive turf fields. 1:43:40
    • One board member said the city of Hollywood and the community do not want lights at Hollywood Hills High School and suggested a friendly amendment to add lights at Monarch and West Broward for now. 1:47:39
    • Dr. Allen Zeman moved an amendment to set the lighting systems at $2 million each and place them in FY28 and FY29. 2:00:10
    • A motion failed 5⁠-⁠3, and Dr. Allen Zeman's amendment and the motion as amended passed unanimously. 2:00:01
  11. Final vote on item 1 2:05:13
    • The board voted on item 1 as amended. 2:05:13
    • The chair announced the ayes had it to approve item 1. 2:05:13
  12. Construction solicitation review 2:06:03
    • Dr. Jeff Holness moved to direct the general counsel to review recent and pending construction program solicitations and recommend language changes to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. 2:10:44
    • A staff member said the motion would not delay the process and that staff were already doing pretty much everything in it. 2:11:04
    • The general counsel said procurement purchasing policies would come in the next batch of policies, with adoption hoped for in October. 2:12:17
    • The substitute motion passed with one dissenting vote. 2:11:53

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

Part 2 · 2 h 46 min

Broward board reaches consensus on 5-minute workshop speaking limit, 3-day agenda deadline 15:44

  • The board reviewed policies for rule development and for pre-briefing, then heard a district budget update. 2:19
  • A district staff member said that, based on the consensus, the workshop speaking time would change from 10 minutes to 5 minutes, with the chair enforcing it and board members able to request more time upon majority approval. 15:44
  • A staff member asked to bring the batch of policies for formal rule development for first reading on September 8th and anticipated final adoption on September 15th, and a speaker replied that it was a thumbs up for all of us. 1:06:24
  • The chief financial officer said the proposed general fund budget totals approximately $3.5 billion and the fund balance is at only 3.4%. 1:40:39

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (12)
  1. Opening and public comment rules 0:00
    • A speaker read the public comment procedures, including a limit of up to 3 minutes per speaker during general speaking time. 0:00
    • Dr. Jeff Holness asked how many board members were online, and a speaker listed the board members on the line. 1:56
  2. Workshop speaking time limits 2:38
    • One board member asked whether there was a mechanism to enforce a 5-minute limit, and another board member said they did not mind the change but wanted to know what teeth it had. 6:18
    • One board member said 10 minutes per member was set for workshops and proposed 5 minutes in the first round and 3 minutes in the second round. 7:32
    • A district staff member said that, based on the consensus, the 10 minutes would change to 5 minutes and a sentence would be added saying the chair will enforce and board members may request additional time upon majority approval. 15:44
  3. Public comment on rule development policies 16:25
    • A speaker at public comment asked whether names are required on P-cards, and a staff member said the policy would not dictate that names be on them. 17:19
    • The speaker asked about a time limit for public records requests, and the staff member said the law does not give a time and that public records would move to the Office of the General Counsel by October or November. 19:44
  4. Policy wording and agenda posting deadline 24:35
    • Debra Hixon asked whether the policy should say superintendent or designee for overseeing speaking time, and a staff member said a definitions policy coming for final adoption on September 15th defines superintendent as superintendent or designee. 24:35
    • One board member said they would prefer 3 days, and another board member said they would support 3 days if doable. 31:39
    • A speaker said there was consensus on 3 business days, and a staff member asked whether the policies could move forward to final adoption on September 15th with the 2 changes. 35:41
  5. Pre-briefing policies on evaluation and ethics 36:37
    • Dr. Allen Zeman asked about policy language on relying on objective outcomes in the superintendent's appraisal, and a staff member said evaluations should be based primarily on objective factors with some leeway for subjective measures. 37:02
    • One board member said their preference was to use the term standard operating procedures instead of administrative procedures. 40:13
    • After Nora Rupert asked how the language would cover someone trying to get business with the district, a staff member suggested saying doing business or seeking business with the school district. 42:49
  6. School renaming waiting period 43:36
    • One board member suggested removing an 18-month waiting period to change a school's name and instead requiring a sufficient period of time for community involvement. 43:38
    • A staff member said removing that time was probably in the best interest of the board and the district, and one board member said they agreed with another board member. 46:08
  7. Superintendent incapacity procedures 47:49
    • Maura McCarthy Bulman asked who would be in charge if the superintendent were incapacitated during a physician selection process, and a staff member said in an emergency it is delegated to the chair. 49:17
    • A staff member said language could be added so that the deputy superintendent would serve until the board could hold a special meeting. 53:40
  8. Ethics titles and school naming rules 56:32
    • One board member suggested retitling the ethics policies, and a staff member proposed calling one standards of ethical conduct for school board members. 56:32
    • Debra Hixon asked why the proposed policy required a living elected official to have left public office for not less than 5 years when the current policy says 2 years, and a staff member said it is not a legal requirement. 1:01:25
    • One board member said they did not have an objection to the 5 years, and another board member said they were a 5-year guy and did not think 5 years was that long. 1:02:43
    • After a staff member asked to bring the batch of policies for first reading on September 8th and anticipated final adoption on September 15th, a speaker said it was a thumbs up for all of them. 1:06:24
  9. Times listed on agendas 1:06:47
    • After a recess, a staff member said the budget item was not set for a time certain and asked that times be removed from agenda items unless required. 1:25:47
    • One board member suggested listing items as morning or afternoon, and another board member suggested placing items of public interest first or making them time certain. 1:27:53
    • Dr. Jeff Holness said there was consensus on removing times except for time-certain items and on prioritizing items that may draw the public. 1:31:04
  10. Public comment on pre-briefing policies 1:31:18
    • A speaker at public comment asked that a reasonable person standard be added to the policy on threatening behavior toward staff members. 1:32:28
    • A staff member asked for direction, and a speaker said to leave the policy as it is. 1:34:48
  11. District budget update 1:35:13
    • The chief financial officer said the proposed general fund budget totals approximately $3.5 billion, the fund balance is at only 3.4%, and identified savings opportunities range from $15.2 million to $52 million. 1:43:15
    • One board member said they were absolutely not in favor of a budget without a raise for employees and asked why positions dropped by 934.5 while the budget rose by $99,150,000; a staff member said much of the increase was overall budget growth including charter schools and FES. 1:58:10
    • One board member said they would be vocal about a 5% fund balance and hoped the board would adopt the budget next week as is. 2:24:14
  12. Board comments and requests 2:30:04
    • A speaker asked staff for answers within the next week or two on continuing an aftercare program and a grant from the Children's Services Council. 2:41:42

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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