The Hendry County School Board approved its consent agenda and separately approved a recommendation to authorize late-hire teachers who are currently assigned out of their certified fields for the 2024–25 school year.

The board voted to adopt the consent agenda by voice vote after a motion from Board Member Sammerdike and a second from Board Member Busen. Later, on action item 5A, the board approved the recommendation on late-hire out-of-field teachers after a motion by Mr. Shamrock and a second from Reverend Brown; the motion carried by voice vote.

Board members asked how the district is helping out-of-field teachers become certified. The Deputy Superintendent said the district offers coursework, including classes presented by district staff and online options, and summer classes to create “every opportunity” for teachers to move into their certified field. The Deputy Superintendent said the statutory compliance window is “technically 3 years” and that the district is working with human resources to encourage a sense of urgency for teachers to complete certification requirements.

The district attorney told the board that whether the board could shorten a statutory timeframe depends on the statute’s language and that she would need to review the specific statute to provide a formal legal opinion.

The motions were recorded as moved and seconded in the meeting minutes; the board approved both items. No roll-call vote totals were recorded in the public transcript for either motion beyond the recorded mover and seconder and the chair’s announcement that the motions carried.

Board members who participated in the motions included Mr. Sammerdike (mover for the consent agenda), Miss Busen (seconder for the consent agenda), Mr. Shamrock (mover for action item 5A) and Reverend Brown (seconder for action item 5A). The meeting record does not list an itemized vote tally in the transcript excerpt provided.