School Board extends emergency leave policy

At the January 12, 2021 regular School Board meeting, the board voted 5-0 to extend the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) federal leave program that’s been in effect for the first half of the year.  FERPA expired on December 31, 2020 and was not extended by the Federal Government.  Superintendent John Stratton brought the matter to the board to vote on extending the provisions of FERPA.
As in the first part of 2020, a member of the school district is eligible for up to a total 80 hours of emergency leave under the FERPA rules. “We’re trying to protect our employees and their paychecks and their employment,”  Stratton said, summarizing the move. 
Attorney Dennis Alfonso clarified that this adoption constitutes an emergency rule under Florida law (Chapter 120, Administrative Procedure Act).  The rule will be in effect for 90 days unless the board takes some action within that 90 days that either challenges it or initiates a rulemaking process that codifies it.