The Alachua County School Board introduced new board policies to align with state law at a meeting Tuesday night.
Challenges to materials
The introduced board policies change the way instructional, library or reading materials are challenged within ACPS. They aim to streamline the process for challenging, while implementing stricter controls on objections to ensure a more efficient review process.
The board will seek community input to refine and finalize the policy changes in a public hearing Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.
The ACSB policy changes align with House Bill 1285, which took effect July 1. The bill enacted a number of changes, including allowing enrollment preferences for classical charter schools and limits on objections to school materials by county residents.
In the board document, a resident of the county who is not the parent or guardian of a student may only object to one school district material per month. However, it does not specify a limit for the number of challenges parents or guardians may make.
Each hearing to review objected materials will still be public and held bi-monthly.
Materials deemed pornographic or prohibited under Florida law must be removed from circulation within five school days after an objection is filed. The ACSB’s decision on the material will be final and not subject to further petition or review.
According to the document, the board will be required to submit an annual report to the Florida Department of Education detailing objections received, materials removed and those that were not removed along with the rationale.
However, parents are not limited to district-level book challenges when it comes to library oversight. The ACPS media access form allows parents to place restrictions on their child’s reading material. Without it, students have unlimited access to the library.
2025 Florida School Board Association platform
The ACSB also unanimously adopted the Florida School Boards Association 2025 legislative platform.
The FSBA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan and taxpayer-funded lobbying organization representing the elected school boards in Florida. It acts as a collective voice for Florida school boards, working with external education and community agencies.
Each year, the FSBA platform outlines recommendations to address critical areas ahead of the upcoming state legislative session. FSBA tracks and advocates for education policy action made on local, state and national levels.
One of the primary focuses of the 2025 platform is hurricane relief for school districts affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The FSBA recommends financial protections for these districts, including measures to hold them “harmless” from student loss, provide funding for disaster recovery and leniency regarding late end-of-year reporting. Student loss could result from a decrease in district enrollment or continuous absenteeism.
The association also recommends improved administrative efficiency within all school districts, including allowing districts to determine school start times based on community input.
The FSBA argues to decouple teaching certifications from school districts. Florida teaching certifications are issued at the state level. However, teaching certifications are closely tied to districts. For example, teachers are often required to meet additional district-specific requirements before starting.
The association argues the change would allow teachers to use their state-issued licenses more freely across Florida, similar to other professions like nursing or law.
In a proactive aim to combat chronic absenteeism, the FSBA suggests districts initiate intervention processes after a student’s 10th absence, rather than waiting for a specific number of unexcused absences within a 90-day period.
The platform also highlights the importance of school safety, calling for continued support of safety measures, collaborating with law enforcement and school safety officers.
Finally, the FSBA calls for increased education funding to help districts manage rising costs. The platform also advocates for funding full-time preschool programs to ensure access for every family.
The next school board meeting will be Jan. 14.
Contact Sara-James Ranta at sranta@alligator.org. Follow her on X @sarajamesranta.
Sara-James Ranta is a third-year journalism major, minoring in sociology of social justice and policy. Previously, she served as a general assignment reporter for The Alligator's university desk.
