The Flagler County School Board held a detailed afternoon workshop and evening meeting on Monday, February 24, 2026, covering updates to school improvement plans from every campus, a strategic plan spotlight, staff and student recognitions, legislative updates, and several consent and action items. The central theme across both sessions was a district pushing toward academic growth while confronting a sharp decline in kindergarten readiness that leaders say demands a community-wide response.
Workshop: School Improvement Plan Midyear Reflections
Every school principal presented midyear reflections on their school improvement plans during the afternoon workshop. The presentations showed a mix of encouraging progress and persistent challenges across the district.
Flagler Palm Coast High School principal Bobby Bosardet reported that the school is projecting to meet its English Language Arts goal of 62 percent proficiency and exceed its math goal with 67 percent. Students with disabilities in 9th and 10th grade ELA showed positive growth, with 62 percent of 9th graders and similar numbers for 10th graders increasing their scale scores from progress monitoring one to two. However, overall proficiency for students with disabilities remains significantly below general education numbers at roughly 11.6 percent for 9th grade and 17 percent for 10th grade. The school has over 700 industry certification exams scheduled this spring and is currently at 42 percent college and career acceleration, moving toward a goal of 50 percent.
Matanzas High School principal Mike Ronaldi reported a 77 percent pass rate on industry certification exams administered so far, with roughly 1,000 exams projected this school year and a 71 percent anticipated pass rate, which would yield approximately 725 certifications passed. The school has reestablished Embry-Riddle dual enrollment, added a health science program and an allied health track, and is introducing a 911 emergency operator course and a private pilot course through Embry-Riddle for next year. Matanzas is also constructing tiny homes through its construction program in partnership with the Flagler Education Foundation for a rehabilitation community in Bunnell.
Rymfire Elementary principal Travis Lee reported the school was ahead of the previous year’s progress monitoring data by 6 percent in math and 2.5 percent in ELA school grade assessment areas, despite testing four weeks earlier than the previous year. Board member Janie Ruddy pressed on a 16 percent year-over-year decline in second-grade ELA among students with disabilities. Lee acknowledged the drop and noted changes in instructional staffing, specifically that intervention positions that previously held ESE-certified teachers now have general education-certified staff with reading endorsements. Superintendent LaShakia Moore clarified that while these staff are qualified, the absence of ESE-certified interventionists represents a difference from prior years.
Indian Trails Middle School principal Ryan Andrews reported that all areas improved from progress monitoring one to two, and all cohort data were higher than the prior year. Math gains from PM1 to PM2 were up 21 percent, and the eighth-grade math cohort was 20 percent higher than when those same students were in seventh grade. Andrews noted that he intentionally overenrolls science and social studies classes to keep ELA and math class sizes smaller, a tradeoff the board acknowledged.
Buddy Taylor Middle School principal Katie Hansen reported a standout accomplishment in school culture, reducing office disciplinary referrals for students with disabilities by over 21 percent. The school implemented a revamped “Eagle Advisory Time” that strategically places students in intervention or enrichment based on their reading and math data, with eighth graders receiving a double dose of science and seventh graders focusing on civics enrichment. Hansen reported over 500 classroom visits with actionable feedback completed by the administration team and noted that the school filled its last vacancy just the day before the workshop.
A board member raised concerns about trends they observed across both high schools regarding common assessments and algebra performance. They suggested examining the curriculum alignment from middle school math into high school algebra, noting that K-8 instruction relies heavily on modeling while algebra coursework may pivot away from that approach. The board agreed to schedule further discussion on the topic at a future workshop.
Kindergarten Readiness: A Community Challenge
The most discussed data point of the day was kindergarten readiness, which dropped to 37 percent for the 2025-26 school year. The strategic plan goal had been set at 55 percent, though the state changed how it calculates the cut score after the goal was established, making it significantly more difficult to reach.
Superintendent Moore emphasized that kindergarten readiness is assessed within the first two weeks of school and reflects a child’s preparation before they ever enter the school system. She reported that students who attended a Flagler Schools VPK program scored at approximately 47 percent readiness, compared to 31 percent for students who did not attend any VPK. “Kindergarten readiness is not a school district issue. Kindergarten readiness is a community effort that we have to work on,” Moore said.
Moore also shared that the district is seeing an increase in kindergarten students arriving non-verbal, not potty trained, and without experience in structured environments. “We are seeing an increase of students who are coming into kindergarten who are not potty trained, who have not been in structured environments, and so they are struggling with some of the transition into kindergarten,” she said.
The district has implemented several supports, including extending its foundations curriculum into VPK, creating a standards-based report card for VPK, exploring a supplemental curriculum called Age of Learning, and adding an early learning coach position. Board members encouraged community members to volunteer as reading pals and reminded families that free book programs, including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and New Worlds Reading, remain available in Flagler County.
Strategic Plan Goals 1 and 2
Assistant Director Scott Reynolds presented the strategic plan spotlight on academic success and early education. The district is projecting to meet its ELA goal of 62 percent and exceed its math goal at 67 percent, up from 58 percent the prior year. Science and social studies projections rely on internal assessments since the state does not provide progress monitoring for those subjects, but staff reported being on track.
Public Comment: Ron Long Questions District Progress
Resident Ron Long addressed the board during both the workshop and the evening meeting. At the workshop, he challenged the strategic plan by pointing out that ELA proficiency was 59 percent in 2017 and remains at 59 percent today, math was at 63 percent and is now at 62 percent, and social studies was at 73 percent, with the current goal set at that same level. “This isn’t progress. This is just simply recovery,” Long said. He called on the board to set non-negotiable expectations for early literacy and math in grades K-3, require dedicated intervention time, publish school-by-school progress updates, and tie leadership evaluations to measurable student growth.
During the evening meeting, Long also raised concerns about two action items. He supported the Career Source partnership in concept but questioned the lack of measurable benchmarks in the memorandum of understanding, including no minimum number of students to be served, no job placement targets, and no reporting requirements. “A good partnership doesn’t fear accountability. It’s strengthened by it,” he said. On the developer mitigation agreement, Long noted that the developer pays a fixed amount of $119,900 based on today’s impact fees but that construction inflation at 5 percent could raise real costs to over $33,000 per unit within five years, creating what he described as a structural cost shift borne by the district and future taxpayers.
Voter’s Guide Cover Design Contest
Supervisor of Elections Katie Lenhart visited the workshop to present the 16th annual voter’s guide cover design contest. A record 82 submissions were received from FPC and Matanzas High School students. Board members selected their top designs using clothespins, and the final selection ended in a three-way tie that was resolved by an additional round of voting. The winner will be announced at the next meeting.
Engagement Center Naming Discussion
Board member Jannie Ruddy proposed naming the Engagement Center after Dr. Jim Guynn, a longtime education advocate and former school board member who started the AMP mentoring program and initiated the Make It and Take It program. Board member Will Furry expressed support for the recognition but raised concerns about naming a building the district does not own, as it is leased from the county with the lease expiring in September 2026. Superintendent Moore reported that staff is working with the AMP program to create an annual student recognition in Dr. Guynn’s name. The board agreed to table the building naming discussion until the lease situation is resolved, while moving forward with a student recognition concept.
Student School Board Member Policy
The board workshopped a proposed policy formalizing the role of student school board members. District staff recommended that student members participate in discussions in the same manner as the public, meaning they could speak during public comment periods but would not be called upon during active board deliberations. Board member Ruddy expressed concern about putting students in positions where public attention could be directed at them for commenting on policy. Board member Furry agreed, saying students serve as liaisons between their schools and the board rather than as policy participants. The board agreed to continue the discussion, with a suggestion from Superintendent Moore that the topic be placed on a future agenda for further workshopping. The policy item was pulled from the evening agenda for further revision.
Legislative Updates
Board member Ruddy provided extensive legislative updates during the workshop. At the state level, the House advanced a property tax constitutional amendment proposal that would go to voters in the 2026 election. While it would not directly affect school tax levies, board members noted it could indirectly pressure districts if county and city revenue losses lead to cost-shifting for shared services like school resource deputies.
House Bill 5001 and Senate Bill 2500 are determining district operating dollars for the fiscal year 2026-27. House Bill 5003 proposes changes to the safe schools funding formula that could redistribute funds between large and small districts. Senate Bill 7036, the education packet, originally proposed having the state write all curriculum, but removed that provision after reviewing Texas’s $500 billion implementation that remains incomplete. Senate Bill 1216 proposes expanding how districts can apply cost-of-living adjustments to personnel compensation. House Bill 615, strengthening the IEP process with parental notifications, passed unanimously in the House.
Board member Ramirez reported that statewide enrollment declined by over 46,000 students, but Flagler County is continuing to grow.
Evening Meeting: Recognitions
The evening meeting began with the recognition of Flagler County Spelling Bee winner Sean, who was congratulated and will advance to the next level of competition. The board then recognized rookie teachers, teachers of the year, employees of the year, and administrators of the year from across the district. The district teacher of the year is Michelle Moore from Bellair Elementary. The district employee of the year is Calvin Grant from FPC. The assistant principal of the year is Miss Abram, and the principal of the year is Bobby Bosardet.
School Resource Deputies and Crossing Guards
The board recognized school resource deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and crossing guards who serve the district. Board members praised both groups for their dedication to student safety.
Music Education Proclamation
The board issued a proclamation supporting music education, with several school music ensembles performing during the meeting. Among the achievements highlighted were Matanzas band jazz ensembles receiving all A’s at their jazz MPA for the first time in school history, 100 Matanzas band students receiving medals at district solo and ensemble, and 65 qualifying for state competition.
Evening Votes
The consent agenda for minutes from January 13 was approved unanimously. The agenda was adopted unanimously after the removal of item 19.01, a student school board member policy that was pulled because it had only been workshopped that afternoon and needed further revision.
Finance consent items 7.01 through 7.07 were approved unanimously. Item 8.01, the award of a telecommunications and internet access contract under RFP 26-01, was approved unanimously. Human resource consent items 10.01 through 10.02 were approved 4-0, with board discussion noting that the salary lane for a position had been moved from PLZ to AUZ to align with additional responsibilities in the job description. Operational services consent items 12.01 through 12.02 were approved unanimously.
Item 16.01, the Career Source Flagler-Brevard-Volusia memorandum of understanding, was approved unanimously after staff presented updates that included adding a dollar amount to the advertising section and specifying that Flagler Palm Coast High School, Matanzas High School, and Flagler Technical College would be included. Career Source representative Marcy Murphy confirmed the $800 social media value represents the total equivalent cost for two monthly posts reaching approximately 21,000 followers across three counties.
Item 18.01, a human resources services item, was approved 4-0. Item 19.02, policy 2431, was approved unanimously.
Student Reports
FPC student representative Olivia reported on numerous student accomplishments, including the FPC SGA parliamentary procedure team placing first for the second consecutive year, students Ava Pascal and Sophia Freder being inducted as state co-treasurers for the Florida SGA executive board, girls weightlifter Nia Williams winning the 2026 FHSAA state championship with a state record 210-pound clean and jerk, seven boys wrestling district championships, the dance team earning superior ratings for the fifth consecutive year, and the competitive cheerleading team finishing ninth in the nation at nationals.
Matanzas student representative reported on Future Problem Solvers qualifying for affiliate competitions in Orlando, Mu Alpha Theta competing in a math modeling competition, the Blue Steel Steel Drums Band performing at the Daytona 500, and the color guard performing on nationally televised Thursday Night Duels. She highlighted the final teen town hall meeting on vaping, where nearly 50 students voluntarily participated in what she described as “an open, judgment-free, real conversation about the impacts and influence of vaping.”
Closing Remarks
Board members thanked principals for their presentations and encouraged community involvement, particularly in volunteering, reading to children, and supporting school events. One Board member reminded the community that students walking to school often pass directly in front of tobacco and vape shops and said they are working with Tobacco Free Florida representatives to explore what other counties have done to address the issue.
Superintendent Moore closed by reading from the district’s belief statement and encouraging all stakeholders to focus on removing barriers for teachers. “Our daily goal should be to remove barriers for teachers and create conditions where teaching and learning can thrive,” she said. “When teachers are supported, students achieve. When systems are clear, consistent, and focused, excellence can become the norm, not the exception.”
