[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6329387,"mediaKeyId","2316158-e431c5123dc4248634603fac53b416f9","parentId",2316158,"title","Legal ruling forces change to OCPS public-comment rules; board reviews open comment, civility code","audioSeconds",1873,"startMs",7610000,"endMs",9483000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316158-e431c5123dc4248634603fac53b416f9&start=7610&end=9483","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316158-e431c5123dc4248634603fac53b416f9/thumbnail_7610000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6329387/Florida/Legal-ruling-forces-change-to-OCPS-public-comment-rules-board-reviews-open-comment-civility-code","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329387-7f0bd8bb99f2a7917c6749661b2d0b4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093540&Signature=Hh5mH2T14dF05Z0T5SwS-S7A3aQ~5ABke-MWxuYjQUiz6BYPTrteXcqY-fBKwAPnug5mzqpjbUFHNT8ZGdGvTtDwM5PcCSlqRIlWiZQdHJiBGBg6Y4Z0lZBlZfAIMcEqjNIczmWjjcn0vB6AsLbWmwkGXd2~wQgwD0Z3dWXfB6XjIIDogvTjw35F8ytpC4Y1yJOjD5wKF3SHPxxz8EwyjmY5Y2Lz64gCHhwjsERqDeziUKPY6F2v5ZmP-dbk2gesFJ5c7bEqjDJ1Cyyvhqnw80~z6iVGl0nx0IoHdJp71avlha6KkzgDN39C2vCQf2zZBILbq79Oa86PJUZIKISPhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Orange County Public Schools","date","2025-02-15T01:36:40.643Z","article","Orange County school district legal staff recommended language changes to policy BEDH at the Feb. 13 work session after an Eleventh Circuit decision narrowed the district's ability to restrict speech in public-comment forums. The discussion focused on balancing free-speech protections and meeting decorum while protecting students and employees.

General Counsel John Palmerini told the board the district's code of civility and prior practice that barred \"personally directed\" critical comments and profanity could not be written or enforced in a way that amounted to viewpoint discrimination in light of the Eleventh Circuit ruling in Moms for Liberty v. Brevard County School Board.

Why it matters: The court ruled in that case that broadly defined prohibitions on \"abusive\" or \"offensive\" speech can amount to viewpoint discrimination and therefore be unconstitutional. That ruling required staff to rewrite portions of BEDH so the district preserves decorum without precluding speakers from stating critical or offensive viewpoints about district personnel or policy.

Key changes proposed and board concerns
- Policy timing and format: The draft codifies the pilot practice for open public comment that begins about 1 hour before regular meetings, concluding no later than 45 minutes after it starts unless extended by a board vote. The draft also preserves the pilot's tiered speaker times (1'10 speakers: 3 minutes each; 11'20: 2 minutes each; 21+: 1 minute each) and the prioritized sign-up order (parents/legal guardians/students/employees first; Orange County residents second; others third). The policy retains an electronic sign-up procedure and the current email cutoff for pre-submitted comments (staff noted it was set at 5 p.m. the day before the meeting).

- Civility code and federal-law limit: Palmerini recommended adding a legal caveat to BEDH's civility clause so it reads that speakers must abide by the code of civility \"to the extent it does not conflict with the right of speakers to state his or her viewpoint consistent with current federal law.\" He explained the language is required after the appeals court said restrictions on \"abusive\" or \"offensive\" speech are likely unconstitutional if they suppress particular viewpoints.

- Personally directed speech and content about employees or students: The court decision said banning personally directed speech (naming or targeting specific employees) blocked an important form of public grievance. That prompted extensive board debate. Several members urged staff to draft a narrower rule that would at minimum prohibit naming minors and encourage speakers to first raise operational or disciplinary concerns with school administration before addressing the board. Palmerini said he would attempt to craft language that offered a procedural guardrail (ask the speaker to take concerns to administration first) while complying with the court's requirement not to impose viewpoint-based bans.

- Disruptive or obscene speech: Palmerini said the court also stressed that reading book passages or citing explicit content, even if offensive, may be protected speech in a public forum. He recommended the board keep decorum rules but warned they cannot be written so broadly as to block unpopular viewpoints.

Board direction and staff follow-up
Board members asked staff to return with redrafted language that: (1) retains a civility expectation but explicitly states it is subject to federal First Amendment protections, (2) explores a narrowly tailored restriction or procedural step for complaints about employees that requires raising the concern with administration before public comment, and (3) clarifies the superintendent's role and staff response when inaccurate or operationally actionable allegations are made.

Ending: No policy vote was held. Palmerini said staff will draft alternative language and return to the board; members signaled concern about protecting employees and minors while ensuring the district complies with federal constitutional law.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","OCPS | 2025-02-13 School Board Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Following a recent federal appeals decision, Orange County legal staff proposed edits to the district's public-comment policy (BEDH) to avoid unconstitutional viewpoint restrictions while retaining decorum rules. Staff and board members debated name-calling prohibitions, personally directed speech and procedures for handling disruptive speakers.","taxTitle","Orange, School Districts, Florida","taxId",14621,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6329392,"OCPS reports record participation, higher pass rates in AP, Cambridge and IB programs",1749,11023000,12772000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316158-e431c5123dc4248634603fac53b416f9&start=11023&end=12772","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316158-e431c5123dc4248634603fac53b416f9/thumbnail_11023000.jpg","/articles/6329392/Florida/OCPS-reports-record-participation-higher-pass-rates-in-AP-Cambridge-and-IB-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329392-bf188241a8ddd7ef2dd497e866a8386b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093540&Signature=T9R-SRHi4FG6eaPifD94bEyhoW7NMX6m32f1KoG4vw3VTfI~1ekfB6yyWiOMyxIsmlgNxAcQYLTS3qlt1AfkkeYx-S0QHpgqUiXzBuSAoe56krQW2Pp2IMCwPlCoZSecfmBNt2yiU4FwFMMfRz8wXRKddAU6LAHDPXwE44bwHho8RoBxtOcrgWIVMEefQiuMPsq~78SaQueLiiZi4nufvxJhc95DL00~f46NGg7khSuiYX30~kVgHk6sBBhQB0goahZHZ102OBuFqZcs0yUbDcwdCQdO8OLRjMfWLrEdBifnBzN~brqTNbp78z2Xb1uG7Zx6~kW2hTWZREMeVQsWoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Orange County Public Schools presented a districtwide update on advanced studies at the Feb. 13 work session, reporting expanded access and improved performance across Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs for the 2023-24 school year.

Dr. Rebecca Hunt, director of advanced studies, and Dr. Russo, who led the presentation, highlighted increases in exam participation, higher AP pass rates, and growth in Cambridge ACE and IB diploma recipients.

Why it matters: The district said expanded offerings and school-level supports increased access to accelerated coursework and saved families thousands of dollars in potential college tuition through earned college credits.

Major figures reported
- AP: OCPS reported a district AP exam pass rate of 59 percent in the 2024 AP administration, the highest since 2016 and up 6 percentage points from 2023. The district said students passed 21,546 AP exams in May 2024, yielding 118,214 college credits and an estimated $23,600,000 in tuition savings using state university credit-equivalency calculations.

- AP Capstone and related programs: The board heard that 192 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma in 2023-24. AP Precalculus as a new course had a district passing rate of 72 percent for seniors who took it as their highest math course.

- Cambridge: The district said 336 students earned the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (ACE) diploma in 2023-24, up from 251 the prior year. District pass rates exceeded national averages in several Cambridge courses; for example, OCPS's pass rate for English general paper AS level was reported at 77 percent compared with a 73 percent national pass rate. OCPS received Cambridge's Large District of the Year award for program expansion and student performance.

- IB: OCPS reported 170 IB diplomas awarded in 2023-24 (164 in 2022-23); district pass rates in some IB subjects exceeded global averages, and the theory of knowledge course had a district pass rate of 83 percent.

- Overall growth in advanced exams: The presentation showed total advanced-studies exam participation rose from 37,805 (2021-22) to 44,893 (2022-23) to 54,419 (2023-24), a 41 percent increase over the period. Cambridge and IB participation also grew substantially.

District supports and next steps
District staff described supports intended to sustain growth: AP tutoring available year-round at high schools, test-preparation sessions, an advanced-studies symposium for rising juniors, school-based parent nights, professional learning for teachers, and regular program coordinator meetings to support school implementation.

Board reaction and questions
Board members praised the expansion of pathways and asked for clearer parent-facing communications to explain the different diploma and course options (AP, Cambridge ACE, IB). Several board members requested pass-rate breakdowns by school and subgroup so the board can track equity and program outcomes.

Ending: Staff said they will provide additional school- and subgroup-level performance data and continue work to make advanced-studies pathways and course sequences more accessible to families. No action or vote was taken at the work session.","District officials told the school board that advanced-studies participation and pass rates rose in 2023-24, with increases in AP pass rate, Cambridge diploma recipients and IB diploma recipients and corresponding college-credit estimates and tuition savings for families.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6329397,"Orange County schools review KCE ethics policy; board members press for consistency with state law",266,668000,934000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316158-e431c5123dc4248634603fac53b416f9&start=668&end=934","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316158-e431c5123dc4248634603fac53b416f9/thumbnail_668000.jpg","/articles/6329397/Florida/Orange-County-schools-review-KCE-ethics-policy-board-members-press-for-consistency-with-state-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329397-7d70d9ffc454ded00128a46325fba403/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093540&Signature=C4vy~bpqejvX5RL2WNcxm~On~Nb~6FVyGUpp5YunPf4KlcMTzLexcwl7iajmTOUpVlGzpkf32tu5WEvtC79Idpu2Wba8T0wcz0GGefixCJ3UvOaAHFENDUdvqHcAq5X7k227IBd-eBZcy6oPXuCZWnVxGCcHA3NuhT-mmDjxlDvvPSZ67cY12DxTqQrzx6C4OWEQg7-czSIGixygEgrMR-JUhrarOLvYyh2IKgJSO8TGGpGqEEKwepMAtPCNCShlq7P-WYuRS957-qW7QQKq~43kiv5vuycFjbF8fbEaHxzb93C9GY8k7S5aJKT0eiBPX6MK3CjnOa-fa-d~QC4GbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Orange County Public Schools staff brought revisions to policy KCE — the district's ethics and lobbying policy — to the school board during a Feb. 13 work session, proposing tighter written controls on employee testimonials for vendors and adding procedures for handling gifts and lobbyist registration.

The draft presented by General Counsel John Palmerini would continue a practice already in place requiring written approval before employees record testimonials for vendors and would add the superintendent as an authorized approver alongside the district's ethics compliance officer, Vivian Kokotis. Palmerini said the draft also spells out a set of conditions for testimonials from employees for organizations that qualify under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3), including that testimonials be voluntary and based on the employee's personal experience and that the vendor submit testimonials for district review before publication.

Why it matters: Board members emphasized that some parts of KCE are more restrictive than state law and asked staff to revise sections so employee and board-member treatment mirror state statute where appropriate. Board members also pressed for clarity so nonprofits that work in schools can continue partnerships while complying with new testimonial rules.

Key proposals and discussion
- Testimonial approvals: Palmerini told the board that the draft would require written consent from the ethics compliance officer or the superintendent before an OCPS employee's testimonial may be used by a vendor. He said the policy change was intended \"to conform with the practice\" under which Kokotis and the superintendent have approved such materials (John Palmerini).

- Required testimonial conditions: The proposed language would prohibit identifying OCPS by name, prohibit filming on OCPS property, prohibit use of OCPS or school logos, and require staff to be identified only by first name, position and school type. Quantitative data in a testimonial would be allowed only after review by the district's research office. Vendors must submit testimonials to the superintendent or designee for review. The draft would also require the vendor to include a disclaimer that the views expressed are those of the individual and not necessarily those of the district.

- Nonprofit partners: Board members raised concerns about restricting testimonials for nonprofits that deliver free programs in schools. Superintendent Vasquez and Kokotis said staff are used to working with nonprofits to limit releases and protect employees and students, and that the policy language could remove the word \"product\" so the rules apply to testimonials generally rather than only commercial products.

- Discipline language and employee concerns: Members asked about language that would make unauthorized testimonials subject to disciplinary action up to dismissal. Kokotis and other staff said discipline has been rare in practice and often resolves as coaching; they defended the inclusion of severe sanctions for extreme, intentional violations and for cases where parents' or students' rights (for example, use of student images without consent) could be implicated.

- Gifts and alignment with state law: Board members repeatedly requested that the district revert employee and board gift limits in KCE to match applicable Florida law rather than keep more stringent district thresholds (policy had defined some items at $5). Palmerini and staff agreed to prepare redlined changes so the policy language and definitions are consistent with state statutes and the board's specific obligations as elected officials.

- Lobbyist registration: Staff reported that several large Florida districts, including Broward, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, maintain lobbyist registration policies. The draft policy includes a lobbyist registration and an annual fee structure (staff said $25 in practice) to improve transparency; board members asked staff to make the registration searchable and to study enforcement and renewal processes.

What the board directed: Members asked staff to return with redlines that (a) reconcile KCE definitions and thresholds with state law where appropriate, (b) clarify who may approve testimonials (superintendent or designee/ethics compliance officer) consistently across the policy, and (c) propose a practical lobbyist registration and renewal regimen with a searchable public list.

Ending: Staff said they will circulate a revised redline that reflects the board's direction. No formal vote was taken at the work session; the item will return for additional discussion and formal action at a later public meeting.","At a Feb. 13 work session, Orange County Public Schools staff proposed changes to policy KCE on ethics, lobbying and product testimonials and board members discussed aligning district rules with Florida law, adding lobbyist registration, and clarifying testimonial rules for vendors and nonprofits.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Legal ruling forces change to OCPS public-comment rules; board reviews open comment, civility code

OCPS reports record participation, higher pass rates in AP, Cambridge and IB programs

Orange County schools review KCE ethics policy; board members press for consistency with state law