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Orange School District board meeting, Jul 28, 2026

5 h 09 min · 16 public speakers

AI in schools ▶ 1:24:11Enrollment ▶ 1:02:20Vouchers and school choice ▶ 4:24:09

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 5 h 09 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Orange school board approves micromobility parking policy and tentative 2026⁠-⁠27 budget 1:42:55

  • The board approved a policy on appropriate use of electronic resources, with one board member voting no. 1:24:10
  • The board took up a policy on student automobile use and parking, which a presenter said had drawn discussion mostly about e-bikes and scooters, passed an amendment and approved the policy as amended unanimously. 1:42:55
  • The board unanimously adopted a proposed millage and approved the tentative budget. 4:18:23
  • The board voted to retain a challenged book for 11th and 12th graders, following the recommendation of the District Literacy Council. 4:34:38

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

Item by item (11)
  1. Opening and agenda 8:15
    • The chair said all members were present. ~8:15
    • The superintendent said there were no changes to the published agenda. 9:49
    • The motion to adopt the agenda carried unanimously. 10:11
  2. Recognitions and new administrators 10:11
    • The chair said the Florida School Boards Association named the board a Master Board after board members and the superintendent took part in classes and team exercises. 10:11
    • Newly appointed administrators were introduced as the district prepared to start the new school year. 15:54
  3. Employee association remarks 36:06
    • A speaker invited by the chair said educators' take-home pay has not kept pace with the cost of living and that too many educators do not feel respected by the district. ~36:06
    • A second invited speaker asked the board to remember employees during the budget presentation. ~40:54
  4. Audit advisory committee annual update 42:11
    • The committee chair said the internal audit team consists of the chief internal auditor and 6 professional staff members, and that no open findings are more than 6 months past their target dates. 43:11
    • Maria Salamanca asked how the relationship with the new external audit firm was going, and a staff member said it was going well and that management was implementing one recommendation. 52:41
  5. Student progression plan 54:25
    • The board allowed a speaker to address multiple agenda items after a staff member noted policy limits each speaker to 3 minutes per meeting. 55:25
    • A speaker at public comment raised concerns about part-time options for voucher-funded students, class ranking for home school students and elementary instruction in science, social studies and health. 1:02:20
    • The superintendent said the district asked the Department of Education to change its plan on common final exams and expected the change to take effect the following school year. 1:13:08
    • An amendment requiring juniors and seniors from a homeschool program to be enrolled full-time carried unanimously, and the policy as amended was approved unanimously. 1:10:00
  6. Appropriate use of electronic resources 1:24:10
    • A staff member said the State Board of Education has proposed rules on AI that will require changes to the policy and recommended approving it so something is in place for the first day of school. 1:25:11
    • Speakers at public comment asked about oversight of AI tools, a parent opt-out, a grade-level framework and an advisory council that includes parents and students. 1:26:26
    • One board member said they would vote against the policy because it needs an opt-out provision for students, and another board member said they would vote for it. 1:38:14
  7. Student micromobility and parking policy 1:42:55
    • A staff member said a December 2025 survey of 220 school principals found approximately 11,800 students regularly traveled by e-scooter or e-bike, of whom 42% attended middle school, 32% high school and 26% elementary school. 1:44:54
    • Several speakers at public comment asked the board to vote no or pause and to focus on helmet enforcement and safety education, while one speaker said the speaker supported the policy generally and asked for clearer definitions. 1:47:31
    • The superintendent suggested formally notifying families and beginning enforcement possibly the Tuesday after Labor Day, and a staff member said the student code of conduct will need a change. 3:01:22
    • An amendment to allow students with a permit to ride a micromobility device to high school passed, and the policy as amended passed unanimously. 2:55:16
  8. Millage and tentative budget 3:35:02
    • The chief financial officer said the total millage is 1.65% over the rollback rate and that in August the board will receive a resolution authorizing up to $250 million in tax anticipation notes. 3:36:38
    • Speakers at public comment asked the board to increase educator pay and address rising health insurance costs. 3:45:58
    • The chair said the district spent $264 million over the last 5 years subsidizing premiums, and Angie Gallo said the budget is a working document. 3:58:28
    • The millage resolution and the tentative budget, including a general fund of $2,935,697,947, both carried unanimously, with a final public hearing set for 5:01 PM on September 8th, 2026. 4:20:04
  9. Consent agenda 4:23:00
    • The chair called for a motion to approve the consent agenda. 4:23:00
    • The consent agenda was approved unanimously. 4:23:40
  10. Charter school contract modification 4:23:40
    • A staff member said the request would modify the charter contract for UCP Bales Early Childhood Academy to include kindergarten through 2nd grade specifically for ESE students, and that School Choice Services recommended approval. 4:24:45
    • Angie Gallo moved to approve the charter as recommended. 4:25:37
    • The motion carried unanimously. 4:25:52
  11. Challenged library book review 4:26:48
    • A staff member said the challenge was brought only under the harmful-to-minors statute and that the staff member did not think the book would meet that test. 4:27:11
    • Melissa Byrd said the book had been checked out 5 times in 15 years and moved to retain it for 11th and 12th graders based on the District Literacy Council recommendation. 4:34:38
    • One board member said they would vote no, while two other board members said they would vote to keep the book. 4:37:28
    • The motion carried. ~5:03:24

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

What was said

What board members said, in order

I appreciate you being here today. I have friends, friends for years and years and years who are teachers, and sometimes we in this conversation we talk about teachers, but I also want to highlight their support staff is having the— is facing the same healthcare increases at, for the most part, lower salaries. And so it's unacceptable for everyone.Stephanie Vanos · Board member4:08:26
Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “OCPS | 2026-07-28 School Board Meeting”