Manatee County School Board Agenda Results Aug. 8, 2011

BRADENTON -- The 2012 Legislative Session will convene on Tuesday, January 10, 2012. In order to represent school districts appropriately in Tallahassee, the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) began developing its legislative platform.  The first step in this process is to gather school district’s proposals for legislative changes that would impact public education statewide. 

AGENDA AMENDMENTS 

1. Agenda Amendments - p.6

ATTENDANCE 

2. Attendance - p.7

CALL TO ORDER 

3. Call to Order - p.8

4. Pledge of Allegiance - p.9

5. Invocation - p.10

6. Approval of the Orders of the Day - p.11 (Unanimously approved)

STUDENT CELEBRATION
PUBLIC COMMENTS 

7. Public Comments - p.12

APPROVAL OF MINUTES 

8. Approval of Minutes - p.13 (Unanimously approved)

RECOGNITIONS
REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS 

9. Manatee Education Foundation Check Presentation - p.14

10. Transportation Readiness for 2011-12 School Year

11. Central Florida School Boards Coalition - p.15

• Barbra Harvey reported on the agenda for the School Boards Coalition
• The Florida Legislature will soon be requiring children be tracked for 6 months after graduation.
• Marion County will be going to a four-day workweek for the 2012/2013-work week that will save approximately $4-5 million from buses and lunchroom costs.

12. School Board of Manatee County Proposals for Florida School Boards Association 2012 Legislative Platform - p.16

• The 2012 Legislative Session will convene on Tuesday, January 10, 2012. In order to represent school districts appropriately in Tallahassee, the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) began developing its legislative platform.  The first step in this process is to gather school district’s proposals for legislative changes that would impact public education statewide. 
•  Led by Superintendent McGonegal, the Board Members discussed and prioritize proposals for consideration.
• The final proposals will be presented for Board approval at the August 22, 2011 board meeting.  In order to be considered by the Legislative Platform Committee and the Legislative Committee, all platform proposals must be approved by the School Board, and must be received in the FSBA office by Friday, August 26, 2011.

1 - Manatee - Workforce Education.pdf (stays)

• Manatee School District will have to deal with dwindling funding for workforce education. They would like the state to develop and implement an adequate statewide funding system based on performance and accountability measures for workforce education programs administered by school district technical/career centers.

2 - Manatee - Modify Class Size Amendment.pdf (stays, but was revised to address penalty rates instead of the restructuring of the amendment)

• The superintendent wants to pursue and support a modification of the existing class size constitutional amendment.  This modification would revert the current classroom class size requirement back to the previous school average measurement.  This basis of measurement will give school-based administrators much needed flexibility to implement the requirements of class  size reduction.
• Changing the established amendment would required putting it on the ballot again. Robert Gause and Harry Kinnan were against lobbying the legislature to reconsider the amendment. Barbra Harvey said the class size amendment was costing the county too much money and felt it need to be readdressed.
• The superintendent was told to revise the recommendation to address the penalty rates instead of revising the amendment.

3 - Manatee - Internet Sales Tax.pdf (stays)

• Implementation of a means to collect sales tax on appropriate Internet purchases, which would create a level playing field for all businesses that sell taxable goods and services.
• The board wishes to institute collection of sales tax on Internet-based purchases.  Currently, on-line businesses are not required to collect sales tax.  The State should consider participation in the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, which includes a means for collecting sales tax on internet-based purchases.  This group already has 20 states that have agreed to more streamlined definitions of what is  taxable or not.  Federal legislation has been introduced that could potentially make  collection of these taxes much easier.  
• The board believes such a tax would provide some tax equity to businesses that are currently disadvantaged by the current taxing system.  Those businesses are primarily ”bricks and mortar“ that are required to collect sales tax on each taxable transaction.
• Additionally, they feel it would provide additional tax revenues for which the State is currently entitled under State law.   Consumers are required to pay a use tax on all taxable purchases where the seller did not collect the tax.  However, compliance with this statute is spotty at best.

4 - Manatee - Charter Schools.pdf (stays)

• The board would like to provide for local school boards to have the final decision making authority over the application for charter status in the local school district.  
• Currently the district school board is charged with the responsibility of operating, controlling, and supervising "all free public schools" in the school district.  Giving the State Board Of Education the final decision on whether to grant a charter is  contrary to those provisions.  It would be consistent with the Constitution and statute  to provide for the Charter School Appeal Commission to make its recommendation to the local school board who would have the final decision-making authority on whether to grant the charter.

5 - Manatee - PECO.pdf (stays)

• The board wishes to provide new language creates Subsection (3) within Section 1013.64 entitled the ”Public Education Renewable Energy  Construction Account“.  
• Funding from this account would be used to encourage a K-12 education construction program that increases the use of renewable and/or alternative energy sources and cost effectiveness through retrofitting educational plants.    
• The account would provide construction funds to school districts to retrofit existing educational plants in a manner that would reduce their dependency on non-renewable energy resources. The funding for this account would be provided from PECO collections.  The proposal does not increase PECO funding; instead it allocates a portion of PECO to this account.

6 - Manatee - Charter Schools FSBA Proposal.pdf (not staying on)

• The county wished to include a provision for districts that are experiencing declining or stagnant enrollment to deny an application for a new Charter School for good cause because of the impact that opening a new Charter School would have on other district schools.
• The board agreed that they want to delete this proposal

7 - Manatee - Class Size Amendment.pdf (stays)

• Lobby for the state to fund the operating costs of the Class Size Amendment as required by the constitutional amendment approved by voters in November 2002.  These operating costs should be funded through a dedicated funding source other than local property taxes as is being done now.
• 
  

8 - Manatee - Doc Stamp Surtax 3.pdf (more information needed)

• A proposed addition to Florida Statutes Chapter 201 is attached. By adding a new Section 201.032 entitled the "Florida District School Board Documentary Surtax Act", district school boards would be  authorized to levy a documentary surtax  in lieu of an educational facility impact fee.   The language provides that a district school board can levy only one of these two (2) fees and requires that the revenue be expended on maintaining existing capital facilities or providing new facilities to accommodate orderly development.
• Article IX, Section 1(a) of the Constitution of the State  of Florida states  'The education of children is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a paramount  duty of the state to make adequate provision for  the education of all children residing within its borders."
• Significant  funding  is  necessary  in  order  to  provide  a  high  quality  system  of education as anticipated by the Constitution. The current multi-year recession has resulted  in  a  decrease  in general  state  and  local  revenues  and property  tax revenues which hinders the ability to properly fund education. School  boards throughout the state are coping with the financial impacts of challenges such  as class size reduction, decreased revenue, greater accountability expectations  and new mandates.  Existing revenue sources include PECO, state general revenue, grants, local millage, a local option sales tax and development exactions such as impact fees. New revenue opportunities must be explored in order to provide the necessary funding for education and to uphold the Florida Constitution.

9 - Manatee - Emergency Shelter Training.pdf (stays)

• Provide funding for County Governments to train and equip Civilian Emergency Response Teams (CERT) at each hurricane shelter.

10 - Manatee - Hazardous Walking Conditions.pdf (stays)

• The request is to update  hazardous walking conditions to include middle and high school students to the same level  of safety and FTE funding as elementary school students

11 - Manatee - School Calendar FSBA Proposal.pdf (stays)

• Repeal statutory requirement  that school districts must begin school calendar no earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. The authority on school start and end dates should return to District School Boards.
• The board feels this statute limits flexibility that school districts have for accommodating special needs of the district when developing the school calendar such as semester testing prior to Christmas holidays and alignment with community colleges for dual enrollment courses.
• The board feels this statute has a negative impact on the smooth transition of high school students who graduate at the end of the first semester with hopes of entering post-secondary education options upon graduation and for June grads entering college in the summer.

CONSENT ITEMS 

Approval of Consent Agenda

13. Approval of August 8, 2011 Consent Agenda - p.17

Purchase(s) Bids $100,000.00 and Under

14. Approval of Rejection of Bid on Tree Trimming and Removal Services, MCSD No. 12-0006-MR - p.18

Purchase(s) Bids Over $100,000.00

15. Approval of Bid for Armored Car Services, MCSD No. 12-0003-RH - p.19

16. Approval of Bid for Fresh Delivered Pizza, MCSD No. 12-0012-SM - p.21

17. Approval of Bid for Mimio Interactive Systems, MCSD No. 12-0010-SM - p.25

Contracts and Grants

18. Approval of Addendum to the Five Year Contract with Computer Automated Systems (CAS) for the Purchase of Special Education Automated System (SEAS) Annual Maintenance to Include Processing of Medicaid Claims at a Rate of $1.00 Per Paid Claim Line - p.27

Attachment: Five Year Contract Approved 072709.pdf
Attachment: Proposal Approved 062711.pdf

19. Approval of the Agreement Between the School Board of Manatee County and the Palmetto Charter School, Inc. for the School Bus Transportation Services for the 2011-2012 School Year - p.29

 20. Approval of the New $164,852.00 Memorandum of Understanding with Sarasota County School Board for Manatee Technical Institute to carry out the requirements of the Adults with Disabilities-Senior Learners Grant for the 2011-2012 School Year - p.32

21. Approval to Renew the K12 Virtual School Program Curriculum and Materials Agreement Between the School Board of Manatee County and K12 Florida LLC d b a K12 for the 2011-2012 School Year - p.34

Construction Services

22. Approval of Braden River Elementary School - Renovations - Change Order 5 - Final - Agreement Between Owner and NDC Construction Company - p.35

23. Approval of Braden River High School - Athletic Facilities Improvements - Change Order 1 - Final - Agreement Between Owner and Mills Gilbane - p.36

Finance

24. Approval of Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Check List for Collection via Automated Recovery Systems (ARS) - p.37

Human Resources

25. Approval of the Appointments, Change of Assignments, Deceased, Promotions, Reappointments, Reassignments, Recommendations for Professional Service Contracts, Resignations, Retirements, Terminations and Transfers - p. 38

26. Approval of Job Description for Site Coordinator” Extended Day Programs - p.39

INFORMATION

Leaves

27. Leaves for August 8, 2011 Board Meeting - p.40

ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS 

28. Administrative Appointments - p.41

Connie Dixon was hired as the new assistant principal at Willis Elementary.

OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS (Discussion Items Pulled from Consent)

Purchase(s) Bids Over $100,000.00

29. Approval of the Use of the Pinellas County School District Contract for Apple Microcomputer Hardware, Software, and Peripherals, MCSD No. 12-0025-SM - p.23 (Unanimously approved)

• The Superintendent recommended approval of the use of the Pinellas County School District contract for Apple microcomputer hardware, software, and peripherals, as required, through June 30, 2012, in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000.00.

Contracts and Grants

30. Approval of the Contracts with Various Providers for the Provision of Supplemental Education Services for Eligible Students during the 2011-2012 School Year - p.30 (Unanimously approved)

• The Superintendent recommended approval of the Contracts with Various Providers for the Provision of Supplemental Education Services for Eligible Students during the 2011-2012 School Year

NEW BUSINESS (Non-Consent Items)

BOARD COMMENTS 

31. Board Comments - p.42

SCHOOL BOARD WORKFLOW 

32. School Board Workflow Items - p.43

SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY COMMENTS 

33. Comments by John Bowen - p.44

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT 

34. Comments by Tim McGonegal - p.45

ADJOURNMENT 

Adjournment of Meeting

35. Adjournment - p.46