The School Board of Escambia County, Florida, convened in Special Meeting at 12:00 p.m., in the Board Room, at the Dr. Vernon McDaniel Building, 215 West Garden Street, Pensacola, Florida, with the following present:

Chair:    Ms. Linda Finkelstein (entered the Special Meeting at 12:05 p.m.)

Vice Chair:   Mrs. Cary Stidham   

Board Members:   Mrs. Carissa Bergosh

Mr. Ronnie L. Clark

Dr. John DeWitt (was not present)

School Board Attorney:  Mr. Francisco M. Negron, Jr. (was not present)

Superintendent of Schools:    Mr. Jim Paul (was not present)

Ms. Stidham called the Special Meeting to order at 12:00 p.m.

Report from Mixon and Associates, Legislative Consultants

 Ms. Terry Golden, Mixon and Associates, gave an update (via speakerphone) regarding the following legislative issues:

Senate Bill 1436 Relating to Class Size Reduction Act: Establishes constitutional class size maximum; provides accountability for class size reduction measures; establishes Classrooms for Kids Program; establishes Class Size Reduction Lottery Revenue Bond Program; authorizes instructional personnel who receive authorization to extend participation in DROP; creates Florida Business & Education in School Together (Florida BEST) Program, etc.  Ms. Golden stated that SB 1436 was “taken up” in the Senate, where “technical amendments” were made and then it was “passed on out to committee.”  She noted that “it has two more committees before it hits the floor."

Senate Bill 1646 Relating to Implementation of Amendment 9: Authorizes instructional personnel who receive authorization to extend participation in DROP; provides for department to calculate averages based upon student membership surveys; removes requirement that life management course be offered during 9^th and 10^th grade years; creates Florida Business and Education in School Together (Florida BEST) Program, etc.  Ms. Golden stated that SB 1646 was “gutted” before it was sent to committee.  She noted that there was a proposed committee substitute that removed the Florida Learning Access grant, which was a voucher program that was created for overcrowded districts.  She also noted that there had been a provision that would allow both teachers and school-based administrators to participate in DROP for an additional three years, however the proposed committee substitute had “dropped” school-based administrators from that provision.

Senate Bill 958 Relating to Retirement/District School Board/FRS: Revises participation options for participants in Community College Optional Retirement Program; revises certain limitations on positions for which district school board may employ member after specified period of retirement; revises payroll contribution rates for defined benefit plan of FRS for 2003-2004 fiscal year; reduces assessment for administrative and educational expenses, etc.  Ms. Golden advised that SB 958 included a provision that would allow both teachers and school-based administrators to be re-employed full-time, one month after retirement.

House Bill 243 Relating to School Prayer: Authorizes individual district school boards by resolution to allow invocation or benediction at specified secondary school-related events; provides legislative intent.  Ms. Golden advised that HB 243 had been “passed by Judiciary and would now go on to the House.”  

House Bill 901 Relating to Educational Leadership: Creates the BEST Florida Teaching Act of 2003; amends and creates provisions to apply the guiding principles of the act; revises provisions to assist teachers in maintaining disciplined classrooms conducive to learning; provides for training, recruitment, and compensation of high-quality teachers.  Ms. Golden advised that HB 901 was a “comprehensive teacher recruitment and retention bill, the most notable feature of which, is a state-wide mandate to begin entry level teacher salaries at $31,000.00”

Ms. Finkelstein entered the Special Meeting at 12:05 p.m.

Mr. David Lycan, Mixon and Associates, briefly compared (via speakerphone) the Governor’s budget, to pending Senate and House legislation.  He stated that the General Revenue Estimating Conference would be held March 14, 2003 and hoped to have additional financial information upon its conclusion.   

There being no further business, the Special Meeting adjourned at 12:17 p.m. 

Attest: Approved:

Superintendent       Chair