Hendry County Schools leaders reviewed proposed calendar adjustments and sought public feedback after explaining a state law change that will require later start times for middle and high schools in the 2026–27 school year. Officials also highlighted an ongoing shortage of school bus drivers as a key factor in scheduling choices.

Superintendent Mike Swindle told the town-hall audience that the Florida Legislature passed a bill that will require middle schools to start no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. beginning in the 2026–27 school year, and said the state has asked districts to engage their communities on whether to keep current schedules or move to the later times. "What the state of Florida has asked districts to do is... they must engage with the community and get feedback," Swindle said.

Swindle and transportation staff said the district is considering a staggered schedule to accommodate transportation routes and extracurricular schedules, noting that many schools currently operate start times that allow shared buses to serve multiple buildings. The district emphasized parent drop-off accommodations at elementary schools, saying drop-off lines will open earlier to help working parents who must get to jobs.

Transportation staffing was raised as a core constraint: district staff said they are actively recruiting bus drivers and that shortages create a “dynamic juggling act” when scheduling multiple school runs. At the meeting staff invited residents to consider the operational and family impacts of later start times before the district finalizes recommendations for the school board.

Discussion vs. decision: District leaders characterized the meeting as a community-input step. No schedule change was adopted at the town hall; staff said they will collect community responses and return recommendations to the board.

Ending: Officials reiterated the open-door policy for questions and encouraged residents to use the survey and advisory-council sign-up to weigh in on calendar and start-time decisions.