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Orange School District board meeting, Aug 25, 2026

3 h 36 min · 2 videos · 0 public speakers

Chronic absenteeism ▶ 22:58Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 41:56Enrollment ▶ 41:56Reading and test scores ▶ 17:28Vouchers and school choice ▶ 52:50

Click any moment below to jump the video to that second. Video length 2 h 31 min.

Playing part 2 · 2 h 31 min of 2. Back to part 1

What happened

What happened at this meeting

Part 1 · 1 h 04 min

Orange County school board approves 2026⁠-⁠2027 observations and celebrations list 30:11

  • The board approved item 17.01, a list of observations and recognitions, after members discussed additions that included an AIDS Awareness Day. 31:05
  • The board also approved the instructional and support staff hiring agenda, with one board member abstaining over a voting conflict. 40:28
  • The superintendent reported that the district had approximately 7,672 fewer students than last year. 41:56
  • One board member raised concerns about a book with chapters on writing sex scenes used in an ACE language arts class, and the superintendent described how teachers select books for college-level courses. 50:44

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

Item by item (9)
  1. Opening and agenda changes 2:53
    • Maria Salamanca presided and said all board members were present except the chair. 2:53
    • A district staff member asked to add item 5.02 as an emergency item, an agreement with the Orange County Teachers Association regarding TSIA dollars. 4:17
    • Motions to amend the agenda and adopt the amended agenda carried by all those present. 4:36
  2. Remarks from employee group speakers 4:36
    • A speaker thanked the board for its service and said the district had been an A school district 3 years in a row. 7:09
    • A speaker said classified support staff have families too and described workers unable to afford gas, housing and doctor visits. 10:11
    • A speaker proposed that district leaders and board members spend 10 full days each year working directly in schools. 12:15
  3. Introduction of newly appointed administrators 14:54
    • The superintendent introduced 6 newly appointed administrators. 15:15
    • The appointees included new principals at Timber Springs Middle School, Liberty Middle School and Ridgewood Park Elementary and new assistant directors at Orange Technical College campuses. 15:15
  4. Second agenda amendment 26:13
    • A district staff member read the title of item 5.02 as a memorandum of understanding with the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association on 26⁠-⁠27 base salary adjustments for select instructional personnel. 27:24
    • The staff member said the instructional classified agenda would move to a new item 17.02 because a board member had a voting conflict. 27:35
    • Motions to amend and adopt the amended agenda carried by all those present. 28:04
  5. Consent agenda 28:37
    • A district staff member said no one had signed up to speak on the consent agenda. ~29:04
    • The consent agenda was approved by all those present. 29:22
  6. Board observations and celebrations list 29:22
    • One board member raised concerns about an added AIDS awareness day, an added cultural month and LGBTQ history month, and said they would be voting no. 31:31
    • One board member said recognizing such days is a teaching experience and said they were glad the AIDS awareness day would be included. 33:52
    • The superintendent said the request for the AIDS observation came from the district's risk management team and that World AIDS Day is international. 38:33
    • The motion carried, with all members present except one voting in favor. 39:37
  7. Instructional and support staff hiring 39:37
    • A district staff member said a relative of a board member was on the hiring list and that the member had to abstain from voting and file Form 8B. 40:28
    • The motion carried, with all present voting yes except one board member who abstained. 41:36
  8. Superintendent's report 41:36
    • The superintendent said the district had approximately 7,672 fewer students than last year but would not see the number of layoffs that loss would otherwise bring because budgets were adjusted earlier. 41:56
    • The superintendent said the district's first micro school had 24 students enrolled with 40 scheduled for tryouts. 44:55
    • The superintendent said 336 adults participated in the district's first Parent Academy. 47:11
  9. Board member reports 48:27
    • Angie Gallo reported that the legislative committee discussed the board's legislative platform, and a staff member said it would come to the September board meeting. 49:25
    • Alicia Farrant asked how the district ensures parents know about adult content in ACE course books, and the superintendent said the district would look for common language to alert parents to mature content. 50:44
    • Stephanie Vanos reported on a joint use agreement with the City of Orlando to let the public use the track at Howard Middle School during school breaks. 1:02:18

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

Part 2 · 2 h 31 min

Orange County board reaches consensus to issue RFP for superintendent search firm 2:28:45

  • District staff presented first-year results of the OCPS 2030 strategic plan, reporting that the district exceeded its 2025⁠-⁠26 targets for KPI 1 and KPI 2, met the KPI 3 target and did not meet the KPI 4 and KPI 5 targets. 22:58
  • Board members asked staff about several measures, including remedial college classes, staff resignation rates and how critical thinking is measured. 48:26
  • The board then discussed the superintendent search, and a staff member said the superintendent has announced a retirement effective August 31st, 2027. 1:46:30
  • Maria Salamanca said the board members present had consensus to issue an RFP for a search firm. 2:28:45

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

Item by item (6)
  1. Opening and meeting purpose 12:36
    • Maria Salamanca said the work session was held to discuss the OCPS 2030 update and the superintendent search, and that no action would be taken and no public comment would be heard. 12:56
  2. OCPS 2030 first-year results presentation 14:38
    • A staff member said the KPI 1 target for 2025⁠-⁠26 was 34% and the result was 36%, with a 2026⁠-⁠27 target of 40%. 22:58
    • The staff member said the KPI 4 staff retention result was 87% against a 90% target, and the KPI 5 attendance result was 77% against an 80% target. 22:58
    • Another staff member described approved updates to each KPI for the 2026⁠-⁠27 strategic plan. 38:31
  3. Board questions on strategic plan metrics 45:57
    • Angie Gallo asked whether the district tracks graduates who take remedial classes in college, and a staff member said it is not currently a metric but staff could look into it. 47:48
    • Maria Salamanca asked what was driving resignations among classified non-instructional staff, and staff members cited market compensation and the consolidation of 7 schools. 57:00
    • Alicia Farrant asked whether ACT scores show critical thinking skills, and a staff member said staff would look at counting industry certifications. 1:10:06
  4. Further board questions and comments 1:13:40
    • Anne Douglas asked for data on the performance of bilingual students and on student outcomes tied to free lunch. 1:13:42
    • A staff member said the district will cease offering free meals to all students for the upcoming school year. 1:16:25
    • Melissa Byrd asked whether the district could track cohorts of students over time, and a staff member said staff would work with the student enrollment team on it. 1:17:24
  5. Review of previous superintendent search 1:36:06
    • A staff member said the 2022 superintendent search was a structured 6-month process and that the district hired FSBA to carry it out. 1:46:30
    • One board member recommended hiring FSBA again and giving the search advisory committee more teeth. 1:52:35
    • One board member said it would be worth putting an RFP out to get proposals from other firms. 1:57:26
  6. Search firm selection and timeline 2:06:59
    • A staff member said FSBA was paid $34,000 for the previous search. 2:07:04
    • A district staff member said the board has the authority to appoint an interim superintendent on a temporary basis if it does not have a candidate. 2:17:43
    • A staff member said a typical RFP timeline is 10 to 12 weeks and could likely be shortened to 6 to 8. 2:23:11
    • Maria Salamanca said the board members present had consensus to move forward with an RFP. 2:29:50

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 mean, I know that we have declining enrollment and it doesn't look pretty out there, but 87% are choosing some type of choice. I think it really speaks to the amount of choice that we have within Orange County Public Schools and the fact that they can attend different variations, different magnets. I think that is fabulous.Angie Gallo · Board member53:45
Because I think that it's, you know, I think things are moving so quickly here in the state of Florida, you know, between AI and technology and just attendance and innovation and how we offer products to our families, that we may need to rethink how we are validating attendance.Angie Gallo · Board member55:12
When students come here and they speak a foreign language and then they learn English while they're in OCPS schools and they test in their 10th grade ELA, are they not considered bilingual? Are we counting those students in this metric for our bilingual graduates?Melissa Byrd · Board member1:23:44
FLVS just recently hired a new superintendent, if you will. I think it's the CEO or something. I think they call it differently. But they did not actually even use a search firm. So I would love to even just suggest that we look at that. That's one area where we could save funding, and we are already right here.Alicia Farrant · Board member2:08:03
I just feel like our community needs stability. An interim superintendent does not give us the stability that we, we thrive.Angie Gallo · Board member2:24:19
Who spoke

Who spoke

Maria SalamancaVice-chairFirst speaks at 2:53
Vicki-Elaine FelderBoard memberFirst speaks at 24:13
Melissa ByrdBoard memberFirst speaks at 30:11
Alicia FarrantBoard memberFirst speaks at 31:05
Angie GalloBoard memberFirst speaks at 49:01
Stephanie VanosBoard memberFirst speaks at 1:01:01
Anne DouglasBoard member

Video: posted by the district as “OCPS | 2026-08-25 School Board Meeting”