The Source: District Announces Make-Up Days for Hurricane Irma; School Board Approves Lawsuit Against State Over House Bill 7069

September 29, 2017

School Board Approves Lawsuit Against State Over House Bill 7069

Palm Beach County School Board members on Wednesday approved filing a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education and the state Board of Education, challenging the constitutionality of legislation passed in June that is expected to cost the School District of Palm Beach County as much as $230 million over the next decade from its capital budget.

The District's legal challenge focuses on the capital outlay funds referenced in section 31 of House Bill 7069, which was passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Rick Scott in June.

Under that section of HB 7069, school districts are required to share with charter schools the local property taxes designated for maintenance and construction of traditional public schools. Until HB 7069 was signed into law, that money had been reserved for school districts; the law now requires sharing those funds with charter schools, many of which are managed by "for profit" private companies. Learn more...

School Board Approves Make-Up Days for Hurricane Irma

School Board members unanimously approved three previously scheduled professional development days for teachers in the School District of Palm Beach County as make-up days for Hurricane Irma.

These days - October 16, November 3 and January 8, 2018 - were presented to the School Board for approval at Wednesday's regular Board meeting, and approved as make-up days. All Palm Beach County schools were closed seven school days to prepare for and clean up after Irma. Read more...

#CollegeFridays: FAFSA Opens October 1; College and Career Fair Provides Students With Opportunity to Explore Postgraduate Options

College application season is here, and for students in Palm Beach County, it's also the start of many opportunities to explore different careers and college options for life after high school." Read more...

See My Success: Olympic Heights High School Student Sets Her Sights on Becoming an Astronaut

Olympic Heights Community High School senior Kaylee Cunningham thrives on challenging herself. She holds a 4.0 GPA, serves as Co-President of the Math National Honor Society, has played on the basketball team, and won the 2015 Congressional App Challenge for a mobile app she designed to teach math.

As if that weren't enough, Kaylee is also a member of Olympic Heights' award-winning Student Astronaut Challenge team, an annual competition that sees Florida students travel to the Kennedy Space Center to compete in a variety of astronomy and engineering-themed challenges.

It was her experience as part of this team that helped her narrow down her future career path.

"I want to be an astronaut because space is constantly, infinitely expanding...it's always changing and there's so much we don't know about it. I want to see what else there is," she shares.

Click play above to see how Kaylee's experience at Olympic Heights High School has prepared her for a future that looks as bright as the sun!