Orange County Public Schools

• The Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center (RBELC) will not open to the public until thirty (30) minutes prior to the starting time of the meeting.
• The public shall enter the RBELC from the Amelia Street entrance only and will be required to pass through the metal detectors. OCPS staff will be present to direct the public.
• Members of the public who wish to speak during the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period (on non-agenda items) and the Public Comment Period (for items on an agenda during a Regular School Board Meeting, Public Hearing, or Rule Development Workshop) shall follow the procedures set forth under the “Who Can Speak” tab below. See Board Policy BEDH Public Input at School Board Meetings.
• There will be no congregating in the lobby. The public can either enter the Board chambers or a designated overflow room, when needed.
• Members of the public will not be permitted to stand in the back of the Board chambers or congregate in the Board chambers.
• A section in the back of the Board chambers will be reserved for the media.
• Members of the public shall not be permitted to use visual, audio, and/or demonstrative aids in the Board chambers, including, but not limited to, PowerPoints, video clips, audio files, signs, posters, banners, flags, or noise makers, unless otherwise permitted by the Board.
• No food or drink is permitted inside the Board chambers.
• By entering onto OCPS property, you affirm:

1. That you do not have chills, a sore throat, cough or shortness of breath; AND
2. That you do not currently feel ill.

*If you cannot affirm either of the two statements above, and/or you have a temperature of 100.4 or over, you must leave OCPS property immediately.

The School Board of Orange County, Florida holds different types of meetings.

• Regular School Board Meetings are held to conduct the official business of The School Board of Orange County, Florida. At Regular School Board Meetings, members of the public are invited to provide public comment on any proposition (an action item on the agenda) before the School Board. Agendas are published on the district’s website seven (7) days before the Regular School Board Meeting.

• The School Board also holds Public Hearings and Rule Development Workshops to discuss specific issues. Public Hearings and Rule Development Workshops give community members the opportunity to participate in the discussion of issues and to provide public comment before formal action is taken at a Regular School Board Meeting. Agendas are published on the district’s website seven (7) days before the Public Hearing or Rule Development Workshop.

• The School Board conducts Work Sessions to study and discuss specific issues. Work Sessions are designed to provide the opportunity for the School Board and staff to discuss particular items and they are open to the public; however, the public may not participate in discussions or provide public comment since no formal action is taken at a Work Session. Many Work Session topics result in an item being brought forward at a Regular School Board Meeting, Public Hearing, and/or Rule Development Workshop at which the public has the opportunity to provide public comment. Agendas are published on the district’s website seven (7) days before the Work Session.
  
  
• Special Meetings, though infrequent, are held as needed and are afforded the most appropriate, effective, and reasonable notice under the circumstances. Under Board Policy BEDH, the Public Input Period only occurs prior to a Pre-Agenda Meeting for a Regular School Board meeting and is not available during other meetings of the Board. The public is afforded the opportunity to provide public comment on items that are on the agenda for the Special Meeting. Agendas are published on the district’s website as soon as possible before the Special Meeting.
  
  
• The School Board is required by Section 1001.371, Florida Statutes, to hold an Annual Reorganization Meeting. Because this is a ministerial meeting, there will be no opportunity for the public to provide input. Agendas are published on the district’s website seven (7) days before the Annual Reorganization Meeting.
  
  
• See Board Policy BEDH Public Input at School Board Meetings

Regular School Board Meetings are typically held twice a month on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Click on the “Schedule” link on the left to see the current regular School Board Meeting Schedule.

Public Hearings, Rule Development Workshops, and Work Sessions are scheduled as needed.

The School Board’s Annual Reorganization Meeting is scheduled during the second or third week in November of every year.

Special Meetings are scheduled as needed.

Notice of all meetings is posted at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, on the district’s website under “Notices” on the “Board Meetings” page, and on BoardDocs.

Unless otherwise indicated in the meeting notice, all meetings are held in the School Board Chambers of the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, 445 West Amelia Street, in downtown Orlando.

In accordance with Florida's Sunshine Law, all meetings are open to the public, except those dealing with bargaining (involving the unions), executive sessions (involving pending litigation), and/or closed sessions (involving safety/cybersecurity plans).

In-Person Speakers: 

•  Pre-Agenda Public Input Period Speakers.
  
  • Members of the public who wish to speak during the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period (on non-agenda items) will move through a separate line where they will be given a pre-numbered speaker card (blue card) to fill out and turn in at the Information Desk in the lobby prior to entering the Board chambers.
  • Pre-Agenda Public Input Period speaker cards (blue cards) are only accepted at the Information Desk in the lobby beginning fifteen (15) minutes prior to the meeting’s start time.
  • Only members of the public who fill out the pre-numbered Pre-Agenda Public Input Period speaker card (blue card) and turn it in prior to the start of the meeting will be permitted to speak.
  • Note that Board Policy BEDH allocates thirty (30) minutes for the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period and allows up to three (3) minutes per speaker, In order to accommodate more speakers, the Chair may reduce the amount of time for each speaker. Because there is a time limit on the Public Input Period it is possible that not all individuals who have filled out a blue card will have an opportunity to speak.
  • In no event will Pre-Agenda Public Input Period speaker cards (blue cards) be accepted once the meeting has started.
  • Members of the public who do not wish to speak during the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period will follow the line leading directly to the Board chambers.

• Regular School Board Meeting, Public Hearing, or Rule Development Workshop Public Comment Period Speakers.

• Members of the public who wish to speak during the Public Comment Period (on an agenda item) at a Regular Meeting, Public Hearing, or Rule Development Workshop will move through a separate line where they will be given a pre-numbered speaker card (yellow card) to fill out and turn in at the Information Desk in the lobby prior to entering the Board chambers.
• Public Comment Period speaker cards (yellow cards) are only accepted at the Information Desk in the lobby beginning fifteen (15) minutes prior to the meeting’s start time.
• Only members of the public who fill out the pre-numbered Public Comment Period speaker card (yellow card) and turn it in prior to the start of the meeting will be permitted to speak.
• In no event will Public Comment Period speaker cards (yellow cards) be accepted once the meeting has started.
• Members of the public who do not wish to speak during the Public Comment Period will follow the line leading directly to the Board chambers.

 Telephonic Speakers: 

• For those members of the public who wish to address the School Board during the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period (on non-agenda topics), the telephone number for such participation is 407-250-6270.
• For those members of the public who wish to address the School Board on an item on the agenda at a Regular School Board Meeting, Public Hearing, or Rule Development Workshop during the Public Comment Period, the telephone number for such participation is 407-250-6270.
• Callers may only get into the calling queue beginning fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period (on non-agenda topics) and/or fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the Regular School Board Meeting, Public Hearing, or Rule Development Workshop for topics on the agenda (the Public Comment Period will begin and public comment will be taken as the School Board goes through the agenda).
• Callers who get into the calling queue in the allotted time (fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of each meeting) will hear a brief message advising them to hold. OCPS staff will answer those calls on hold in the order received, take the caller's name and telephone number in case the call gets disconnected, and place the caller in the queue for the applicable School Board meeting.
• In no event will the calling line remain open for additional callers after the meetings have started.Callers who call in outside of the allotted time will only hear the line ringing and the call will not be picked up.

Via Email:

Members of the public who wish to provide public comment via email for the School Board's consideration at the Regular School Board Meeting, Public Hearing, or Rule Development Workshop may send an email to [email protected] by 5:00 PM on the Monday before the scheduled meeting.

The public is asked to provide their name, address, agenda item, and written public comment so that OCPS staff can properly sort each public comment as it applies to each agenda item for discussion at the applicable meeting.  The emails that are received by that time will be compiled by OCPS staff and provided to each School Board member electronically and/or in hard copy for consideration by 10:00 AM the day of the meeting.

 Special Meetings and Annual Reorganization Meeting:

• Special Meetings, though infrequent, are held as needed and are afforded the most appropriate, effective, and reasonable notice under the circumstances. Under Board Policy BEDH, the Public Input Period only occurs prior to a Pre-Agenda Meeting for a regularly scheduled Board meeting and is not available during other meetings of the Board. The public is afforded the opportunity to provide public comment on items that are on the agenda for the Special Meeting.
•  The School Board is required by Section 1001.371, Florida Statutes, to hold an Annual Reorganization Meeting. Because this is a ministerial meeting, there will be no opportunity for the public to provide input. Section 286.0114(3), Florida Statutes, provides that the public’s “opportunity to be heard” does not apply to “[a]n official act involving no more than a ministerial act, including but not limited to, approval of minutes and ceremonial proclamations.” 

• Ministerial Acts. Section 286.0114(3), Florida Statutes, provides that the public’s “opportunity to be heard” does not apply to “[a]n official act involving no more than a ministerial act, including but not limited to, approval of minutes and ceremonial proclamations.” Accordingly, members of the public who wish to speak to an action agenda item during a Regular School Board Meeting may speak on items 3-15 and/or item 17; the remainder of the agenda items are either ministerial or are not a “proposition” before the School Board.

• See Board Policy BEDH Public Input at School Board Meetings

Speakers are allowed up to three (3) minutes to address the School Board during the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period and the Public Comment Period.  Public Input and/or Public Comment on the following topics are not permitted:

• matters subject to any quasi-judicial process;
• pending litigation (including any issues related to pending investigations or employee or student discipline matters);
• bargaining process or other workplace labor concerns (there is a bargaining process and system in which bargained issues and labor complaints may be brought to the table between the parties); and/or
• prospective or current vendors and lobbyists are not permitted to comment during the bidding black-out/no-contact period.

During the Public Input Period, each speaker shall have up to three (3) minutes to address the Board within the thirty (30) minutes allotted for the Public Input Period. In order to accommodate more speakers, the Chair may reduce the amount of time for each speaker. Because there is a time limit on the Public Input Period, members of the public who wish to speak may not all have an opportunity to do so.

Section 286.0114(2), Florida Statutes, provides that "[m]embers of the public shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard on a proposition before a board or commission."  This opportunity occurs during the Public Comment Period of a Regular School Board Meeting, Public Hearing, Rule Development Workshop, or Special Meeting. 

During the Public Comment Period, the time limitations for each speaker shall be as follows: if 1-20 speakers have signed up to speak, each would be allotted three (3) minutes; if 21-40 speakers have signed up to speak, each would be allotted two (2) minutes; and if 41+ speakers have signed up to speak, each would be allotted one (1) minute. In the event there are 41+ speakers, the Board has established the following priority for those who have signed up to speak: (i) Priority 1 – reserved for parents/legal guardians, students, and employees; (ii) Priority 2 – reserved for individuals who reside in Orange County, Florida; (iii) Priority 3 – reserved for individuals who do not reside in Orange County, Florida.

Section 286.0114(3), Florida Statutes, provides that the public's "opportunity to be heard" does NOT apply to "[a]n official act involving no more than a ministerial act, including, but not limited to, approval of minutes and ceremonial proclamations." Accordingly, members of the public who wish to speak to an action agenda item during a Regular School Board Meeting may speak on items 3-15 and/or item 17; the remainder of the agenda items are either ministerial or are not a “proposition” before the School Board.

See Board Policy BEDH Public Input at School Board Meetings.

The following School Board policies govern School Board meetings:

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing special accommodation to participate in meetings should contact the Office of School Board Services at 407-317-3236 at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting.  If you need any assistance or adaptive devices to ensure your participation, contact the following:

• If you are hearing impaired, call 407-317-3409.
• For spoken language translation services, call 407-317-3410.
• For the visually impaired, call 407-317-3437.

Watch live (or replay) on the School Board’s YouTube Channel.

Call the Office of School Board Services 407-317-3236.

A video archive of past meetings is available on the School Board YouTube channel. Audio recordings are also stored on the Board You Tube channel or may be acquired by a written records request mailed to OCPS, Records Department, Building 500, 6501 Magic Way, Orlando, FL 32809 or via email to [email protected].

All Regular School Board meetings are broadcast live on Vision TV, an Orange County Government TV channel available on Spectrum channel 492, Comcast channel 98 and digital antenna channel 10.3. Regular School Board Meetings, Work Sessions, and Rule Development Workshops are also streamed live and archived on the OCPS YouTube channel (YouTube.com/OCPSboardmeetings). School Board Meetings are shown and recorded in their entirety with the exception of student discipline, employee matters, and the Pre-Agenda Public Input Period.

"Current" minutes are the ones most recently approved by the School Board. The current minutes can be found here.