Menu

Broward School District board meeting, date not confirmed yet

1 h 50 min · 2 videos

Click any moment below to jump the video to that second. Video length 1 h 07 min.

Playing part 2 · 1 h 07 min of 2. Back to part 1

What happened

What happened at this meeting

Part 1 · 43 min

School board approves extension with 2 dissenting votes 22:07

  • Items 1 and 2 each passed unanimously. 8:19
  • A district staff member said most, if not all, of the audit findings were in practice, including documenting when consultants clock in and out with a Microsoft product called Shifts. 18:12
  • Nora Rupert asked whether the additional ask was $933,334, and a district staff member confirmed the number and said the extension would run up to 6 months. 19:53
  • The item passed with 2 dissenting votes. 41:48

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

Item by item (5)
  1. Opening and agenda 0:51
    • The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. 0:51
    • The chair accepted a revised agenda released by the superintendent, and the board moved to close the agenda. 2:15
    • An attorney explained the rules for public comment, including up to 3 minutes per item. 3:04
    • The agenda was closed. ~2:40
  2. Appointments, leaves and separations 4:30
    • A speaker at public comment raised concerns about cuts to staff positions and larger class sizes at schools. 5:03
    • The speaker said the district would lose between 3,500 and 4,000 sections districtwide. 5:03
    • Item 1 passed unanimously. 8:19
  3. Partnership item 8:19
    • Nora Rupert said the item reflected a partnership the district has had for a very long time. 8:55
    • Debra Hixon thanked the general counsel and staff and said the first time the item came before the board, it took 2 years to get through. 9:39
    • The item passed unanimously. ~10:11
  4. Technical consultant staffing services extension 10:11
    • Debra Hixon asked the superintendent for a follow-up on who the consultants are, what they do and what they cost. 13:50
    • One board member said the total would reach $8.5 million if approved and said the amount was a bit excessive. 21:13
    • One board member said the item lacked a line-item breakdown for the 63 vendors and that they could not support it in its current form. 25:08
    • The item passed with 2 dissenting votes. 41:48
  5. Fourth agenda item 41:48
    • No public comment was offered on item 4. ~41:56
    • Item 4 passed unanimously. 42:06

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

Part 2 · 1 h 07 min

Broward board members suggest revisions to district policies at workshop 1:01

  • One board member proposed policy changes, including changing the change order limit to 8%, $100,000, or whichever is greater. 3:12
  • The general counsel asked to bring the policies, except 6320 and 6330, for first reading on October 6th. 30:57
  • Board members discussed classroom supply funds for speech-language pathologists, and a staff member said the matter would be brought back as an item. 34:09
  • Rebecca Thompson asked that written reports be submitted for both October and November. 1:03:11

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

Item by item (13)
  1. Reconvening and policy withdrawals 0:52
    • The chair reconvened the workshop for a fourth round of policy comments. 0:52
    • The general counsel withdrew Policies 6320 and 6330 to double-check a provision. 1:07
  2. Bid protests, change orders and sales contacts 1:40
    • Dr. Allen Zeman asked whether the district could make an award while a bid protest continued, and a staff member said the district can because it is in district contracts. 1:40
    • One board member proposed changing the change order limit of 8% or $100,000 from whichever is less to whichever is greater. 3:50
    • Dr. Allen Zeman asked about a rule requiring salespersons to clear contacts with the superintendent's office, and a staff member agreed to add language about district facilities. 3:50
  3. Department budgets and invoice review 6:04
    • One board member proposed adding department-level budget language to the payment authorization section. 6:04
    • One board member proposed that all invoices exceeding $100,000 be reviewed and audited before payment. 7:44
  4. Board conduct and speech policies 10:44
    • Adam Cervera asked what board members may say publicly about items they voted against, and the general counsel said members keep First Amendment rights but should respect the board's decision. 10:48
    • One board member asked for due process guardrails on a provision allowing censure, committee removal or other remedies, and a staff member said it must be reserved for very significant violations. 13:05
    • One board member said a statement about teacher raises was inaccurate and distorted. 18:24
  5. Reporting of consultant agreements 19:44
    • One board member proposed adding a sentence stating that all such agreements entered into by the superintendent will be reported to the board by email within 5 days. 19:51
    • One board member asked that the superintendent send a monthly list of all consultants to the board. 23:42
    • Dr. Allen Zeman amended the suggestion to cover agreements over $20,000 but under $100,000. 23:57
  6. Real estate policy 24:24
    • One board member asked whether staff would be willing to cut down the real estate policy dramatically and suggested that the rest go in an SOP. 24:24
    • The general counsel said some of the process could be removed and placed in an SOP. 25:48
  7. Teacher raises and policy readings 27:26
    • Dr. Jeff Holness said the board intended to give teachers raises and had directed the superintendent. 29:19
    • Maura McCarthy Bulman said teacher compensation was an ongoing process bound by collective bargaining. 33:04
  8. Supply funds for speech-language pathologists 33:56
    • Nora Rupert said 245 district SLPs would receive $300 for supplies at a total cost of $73,500. 34:09
    • A talent management staff member said Florida statute 1012.71 defines classroom teacher in a way that excludes speech-language pathologists. 35:29
    • One board member said the matter could not be decided at a workshop and asked the superintendent to bring an item. 39:07
  9. Board member recognition 40:48
    • Debra Hixon congratulated MacArthur on the ribbon cutting of its new science building. 40:50
  10. Calling the question and speaking time 41:35
    • Adam Cervera asked for a solution when the question is called before members speak in a second round. 41:39
    • The general counsel said Policy 0167 allows board members to request 2 minutes of additional time if a majority approves. 49:58
    • Adam Cervera said the existing provision was a fair solution. 50:19
  11. Recognitions and staff updates 50:24
    • Maura McCarthy Bulman said a new recycling curriculum was presented to the Solid Waste Authority and 26 pilot recycling programs are planned. 50:59
    • The general counsel said a new agenda policy, 0165.1, would change how meetings run starting in October. 53:01
  12. Sunrise Middle School field 53:34
    • A staff member said the turf field work is the city's part of a collaboration and district facilities staff will assist as needed. 53:46
  13. Upcoming workshop schedule 55:38
    • Rebecca Thompson asked that committees submit written reports for October and November, and a staff member said the chairs would be contacted. 1:03:11
    • A staff member said the first quarterly student report to the board is December 8th. 1:04:21
    • Debra Hixon asked whether the district had shared concerns about the field, and a staff member said available space had been communicated to the city. 1:04:43

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

What was said

What board members said, in order

Is there a number that you would So I would say $20,000 for what you're asking, but I would still like to ask the superintendent to send us the list of consultants on a monthly basis, all of them, so that we have that information available if we're interested in it.Debra Hixon · Board member23:42
I have a question on that. So when the— when class wallet money comes, does the state give a finite amount based on the number of teachers they have decided we have, or is it just an arbitrary bucket of money?Debra Hixon · Board member37:32
Who spoke

Who spoke

Nora RupertBoard memberFirst speaks at 8:55
Debra HixonBoard memberFirst speaks at 9:39
Adam CerveraBoard memberFirst speaks at 23:58
Allen ZemanBoard memberFirst speaks at 38:11
Jeff HolnessVice Chair
Maura McCarthy BulmanBoard member
Rebecca ThompsonBoard member