School Safety

Referendum 2022

THANK YOU, LAKE COUNTY VOTERS!

The 2022 renewal of our School Safety Referendum was approved!

The Lake County School Board asked voters in November 2022 to approve the continuation of a 0.75-mill tax that had been levied since 2019 to enhance school safety. The tax was the result of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act enacted by the Florida Legislature after the tragic shooting at the south Florida school by the same name. The act made significant school safety reforms and imposed upon all Florida public school boards numerous additional requirements to achieve greater safety for students and staff. The funds allocated by the state were insufficient to satisfy the objectives and requirements in the act without compromising the quality of instructional and other services provided by the board. The School Board requested the 0.75 mill and voters gave their approval. Four years later, voters have also approved renewal of the 0.75 mill.

The information shown below was shared with stakeholders to help inform and educate about the referendum.

From 2019 to 2022, school safety fund proceeds have been used to...

... open Lake Success Academy to provide short-term alternative educational placements and programs to address the social, emotional, behavioral, academic and mental health needs of at-risk students.

... help cover the costs for school resource deputies and officers, and hire and retain school safety officers to guard and protect school campuses.

... hire a nurse for every school, which became extremely helpful during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

... create the Positive Alternative to School Suspension (PASS) Program to remove students with disciplinary referrals from the classroom for a period of time, while still allowing students to attend school, maintain their academic progress and learn the skill needed to manage their behaviors.

... hire psychologists, social workers and mental health liaisons to help troubled students before their issues reach crisis levels.

... open the Academy of Lake Hills in Mascotte and in Howey-in-the-Hills to provide long-term alternative educational placements and programs to address social, emotional, behavioral, academic and mental health needs of students.

SUMMER VIDEO SERIES

This summer, we are sharing videos to highlight how the school safety contribution has been spent the past four years to produce many positive outcomes. A continued contribution will help us maintain and strengthen those outcomes.