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Orange School District board meeting, date not confirmed yet

6 h 54 min · 2 videos · 4 public speakers

Discussed AI in schoolsDiscussed vouchers and school choice

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 6 h 54 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Part 1 · 3 h 38 min

Orange County School Board tables 1 mil special millage extension item 2:40:57

  • District staff presented an update on school culture training and a vape prevention initiative. 1:10:04
  • The board approved changes to the threat policy and the recommended attendance zones for Wolf Lake Middle School, Wolf Lake Elementary School, Kelly Park School and Zellwood Elementary School. 2:00:22
  • The board tabled a resolution to extend the 1 mil special millage for 4 years after board members discussed whether to add wording on increasing teacher and educational support compensation. 2:40:38
  • A district staff member said the motion to table included noticing a special meeting for May 19th. 3:25:29

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

Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and agenda changes 1:12
    • Maria Salamanca presided and said the chair was absent. 1:12
    • A district staff member said item 8.08, a dual enrollment articulation agreement, was pulled because of an error in the language and would return at the next board meeting. 8:29
    • The board amended the agenda unanimously and then adopted the agenda as amended. 8:45
  2. Recognitions and introductions 9:17
    • Maria Salamanca said A Gift for Teaching had distributed $200 million in school supplies to teachers and students. 24:00
    • A speaker, on behalf of a charity's board of directors, presented $2.5 million to Orange County Public Schools toward the work of Cherokee High School. 45:22
  3. School culture and vape prevention update 1:09:37
    • A district staff member said 1,792, or 3.5% of high school students, and 473, or 1.3% of middle school students, had been caught vaping so far this year. 1:19:43
    • The staff member said the district was awarded more than $4 million from a lawsuit against the Juul company and that the settlement funds 2 educators for the work. 1:25:51
    • Anne Douglas asked about smoke shops near schools, and a district staff member said the district supports ordinances keeping them at least 1,000 feet from a school. 1:54:17
  4. Threat management policy 1:58:47
    • The board's attorney said the policy aligns with changes to Florida Administrative Code Rule 6A-1.0019 and that untrained staff will not serve on threat management teams until trained. 2:00:22
    • The motion carried unanimously. 2:01:39
  5. Wolf Lake attendance zone rezoning 2:01:39
    • A district staff member said the district received input from 7 families, 3 supporting and 4 opposing, and that the rezoning would begin August of 2026 if approved. 2:05:18
    • The motion carried unanimously. 2:05:42
  6. Orange Center Elementary zone redistribution 2:05:42
    • A district staff member said the district had not received input from any families on the redistribution. 2:06:37
    • The motion carried unanimously. 2:07:40
  7. Consent agenda 2:07:40
    • Maria Salamanca said no member of the public wished to comment on the consent agenda. 2:08:24
    • The consent agenda was approved unanimously. 2:08:24
  8. State advocacy committee appointments 2:08:24
    • Stephanie Vanos was nominated as the Florida School Board Association Advocacy Committee representative and Anne Douglas as the alternate. 2:09:46
    • The motion carried unanimously, and Stephanie Vanos and Anne Douglas were appointed. 2:10:50
  9. Virtual charter school contract 2:10:50
    • A district staff member said the Charter School Review Commission approved the application on February 11th, 2026, and the district is required to serve as the sponsor. 2:12:21
    • One board member said they had concerns about a virtual school handling ESE students. 2:14:14
    • Stephanie Vanos asked whether the contract guaranteed access to virtual classes, and a district staff member said it was not addressed in the contract. 2:21:50
    • The motion carried unanimously with Vicki-Elaine Felder absent. 2:28:52
  10. Charter school grade expansions 2:28:52
    • A district staff member recommended approval of a charter school's request to add grades 9 through 12. 2:29:55
    • Maria Salamanca asked for enrollment numbers on schools affected by the expansions. 2:31:11
    • A district staff member said Renaissance at Goldenrod also sought to add grades 9 through 12. 2:32:45
    • Both motions carried, with Vicki-Elaine Felder absent. 2:31:51
  11. Value Adjustment Board appointments 2:33:58
    • Anne Douglas was named the primary school board member and Alicia Farrant the alternate. 2:36:57
    • The motion carried with all members present, and the appointments were approved. 2:37:17
  12. Cherokee School naming rights 2:37:17
    • A district staff member said the request would delegate naming of spaces within the Cherokee School to the superintendent, while naming the school itself would remain a board decision. 2:38:14
    • The motion carried unanimously by those present. 2:40:38
  13. Millage extension resolution 2:40:38
    • Speakers at public comment asked that part of the 1 mil be used to increase teacher pay. 2:42:41
    • One board member said the 1 mil brought in approximately $242 million this year and said they would support adding increasing before compensation in the language. 2:51:18
    • Two board members each said they were in favor of keeping the language as is. 3:04:40
    • The motion to table carried, and a district staff member said it included noticing a special meeting for May 19th. 3:25:12
  14. Presentations 3:25:34
    • District staff showed a video on exceptional student education outreach. 3:25:47
    • Staff presented Anne Douglas with a speech and debate championship trophy for District 4. 3:30:36
    • A speaker said District 4 was the Let's Read OCPS champion for 2026. 3:31:27
  15. Board member items 3:32:35
    • Alicia Farrant proposed a proclamation recognizing July 4th, 2026 as America 250. 3:33:13
    • One board member asked to update Policy FBA on community meetings about school construction and renovations. 3:33:51
    • One board member asked to revisit student representation on the board for next school year. 3:35:30

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

Part 2 · 3 h 16 min

Orange County School Board reviews Student Code of Conduct and electronic resources policy 7:48

  • The Orange County School Board held a work session to discuss Policy JIC, Student Code of Conduct, and Policy IJNDC, Appropriate Use of Electronic Resources, and Melissa Byrd said no action would be taken. 7:48
  • Board members discussed dress code language for athletic practice attire, and a staff member said staff would work to change the language and present options. 36:39
  • A staff member said the code was on track for approval at the June meeting and proposed circulating revised language to board members beforehand. 39:59
  • A staff member presented draft updates to the artificial intelligence policy based in part on student town halls, and board members asked about grading, AI detection tools and emotional support uses. 1:35:38

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

Item by item (10)
  1. Opening of work session 7:48
    • Melissa Byrd said there would be no public comment period because the meeting was not a regularly scheduled school board meeting. 7:48
    • Maria Salamanca led the Pledge of Allegiance and turned the meeting over to the deputy superintendent. 9:40
  2. Proposed Code of Student Conduct revisions 10:06
    • A staff member said this was the second work session on the code, which was first brought to the board on April 7th. 10:06
    • A staff member said changes included removing attempted use from the cheating definition and reverting to previous language allowing an area administrator to place a student at OCVS. 10:48
    • A staff member said new dress code language would require practice and game uniforms to align with Florida High School Athletic Association competition uniform requirements. 13:43
  3. Dress code for athletic practice 14:46
    • One board member suggested that students practicing off campus be allowed to wear what is comfortable to them. 14:51
    • One board member said the language could increase ambiguity and that they would be more comfortable taking it out. 26:33
    • One board member said the language should make explicit that coaches do not determine dress code during practice or non-school hours. 27:23
  4. Micromobility devices 40:45
    • Angie Gallo asked whether the board had authority to require students riding micromobility devices to school to wear a helmet. 40:45
    • One board member said they were open to a conversation about a temporary ban, possibly for elementary and middle school, before the new school year. 52:19
    • A staff member recommended keeping the code language as is and revisiting the student parking policy later if a conflict was found. 53:25
  5. Witness statements and parent notification 44:59
    • A staff member said the proposed addition would have administrators make every attempt to notify parents before students in grades K through 2 write statements. 48:26
    • One board member raised concern about students possibly incriminating themselves in statements given without a parent present. 58:25
    • A staff member said staff could create a letter or a Skyward notification form for parents to opt out, and one board member said that would be their preference. 1:08:35
  6. Orange County Virtual School placement option 1:11:06
    • Alicia Farrant asked where the code says students receiving a Level 4 would be allowed to attend Orange County Virtual School. 1:11:54
    • A staff member said staff could add a sentence stating the parent will have the choice of Orange County Virtual School as the alternative placement. 1:17:16
    • Angie Gallo asked that the two options be put in writing, and a staff member said it would be added to step 9 on page 36. 1:26:03
  7. Student statements and law enforcement 1:17:29
    • Stephanie Vanos asked whether statements students give to school administrators can be used in a criminal investigation. 1:17:29
    • A staff member said law enforcement can list the person who took the statement as a witness and the state attorney would need a subpoena. 1:19:07
    • A staff member cited a court case holding that school officials conducting code of conduct investigations are not required to give Miranda warnings. 1:31:13
  8. Proposed artificial intelligence policy updates 1:34:06
    • A staff member said the draft would require that high-stakes decisions, including grading and personnel evaluations, be made by staff. 1:35:38
    • A staff member said the draft would require educators using approved AI tools for grading to critically review the AI-generated assessment rather than relying solely on the AI output. 1:35:38
    • A staff member said the draft prohibits using AI chatbots to substitute for human companionship on district-approved devices. 1:43:13
  9. Board discussion of AI policy 1:44:11
    • One board member said it was important to include IEPs and student recommendation letters among uses that could not rely on AI. 1:46:09
    • A staff member said Gaggle monitors internet usage on middle and high school laptops and flagged input is reviewed by school staff. 1:57:45
    • One board member said their preference would be not to include the emotional support prohibition in the policy. 2:44:02
  10. Teacher contract and AI tools 3:06:20
    • A staff member said the CTA contract does not explicitly bar teachers from using tools the district has not approved. 3:07:00
    • A staff member said the CTA contract contains no provision on teachers disclosing AI use. 3:08:18
    • One board member said they had issues with teachers using low-reliability AI detectors and giving students zeros. 3:13:02

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 it possible that we could allow students to again wear what professional, for example, professional women runners wear on practice that is not on campus but off campus? Could there at least be a compromise to that degree? Is that legally possible?Stephanie Vanos · Board member17:48
Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “OCPS | 2026-05-12 School Board Meeting”