TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Leon County School Board members addressed the future of Leon County Virtual School during their Tuesday evening meeting.
The discussion became tense at points as board members and Superintendent Rocky Hanna addressed an notice sent to district teachers at the school.
In that notice, which came by e-mail, Superintendent Hanna said he would recommend the board shut down the school due to budget shortfalls ahead of the 2026-2027 school year.
Board member Alva Smith says the notice included phrases like "decisions have been made," and she says it also suggested the district would try to find new jobs for the displaced teachers.
Member Smith argued the email made it seem like the district had already made their choice about LCVS.
She says the email read in part:
"Leon County Virtual school has served this district and its students well. Unfortunately, after careful review of historical enrollment data in light of current legislative budget shortfalls, the district is no longer able to sustain the financial gap between funding generated through FTE and the operational costs of LCVS."
Superintendent Hanna responded to Smith saying she "did not read the whole document."
The superintendent reiterated no schools can be closed without a vote from the board.
"Only the school board can close the school. If I make the recommendation, then the Leon County School Board would vote on closing the school. The Leon County School Board also sets the budget. You can accept my recommendations. Send my recommendations back. You set the budget, and you do policy. So now is your chance," Hanna said.
Board member Daryl Jones joined in saying the board would review options after the legislative session, adding, "The way it went forth and was reported in the press would lead you to believe that these decisions are final, but there was no vote taken."
The meeting followed LCS' annual retreat on Monday where school board members discussed ways to save millions of dollars this upcoming school year.
Along with potentially shutting down LCVS, those options included staffing changes and cuts to arts and athletic programs.
Superintendent Rocky Hanna says those and other reductions could save the district $6.7 million, money that could be redirected to other needs across the district.
"Well, I think that will go to offset increased expenses and then hopefully go for salary increases for our teachers and non-instructional employees, " Hanna said on Monday.
The school board points to declining enrollment as a major funding challenge and hope expanded voluntary Pre-K programs can help bring families back and stay enrolled in the school system.
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