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Brevard County, FL – February 28, 2025 – At a worksession on February 25, 2025, the Brevard Public Schools board tackled a range of topics, with a significant focus on reimagining the district’s approach to student discipline. After evaluating the current Alternative Learning Centers (ALCs) and exploring alternatives, the board expressed a strong preference for transitioning to a diversion program over maintaining the existing ALC model, with plans to implement changes for the 2025-26 school year. You can watch that portion of the work session at the video below.

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The discussion, led by Mr. Ramer and Misty Bland, director of alternative sites, centered on the North Central ALC in Merritt Island and the South ALC in Melbourne. Currently, these centers serve students who commit serious offenses, with elementary students attending full-time (8:00 AM – 2:30 PM, including early-release Fridays) and secondary students on a hybrid schedule of two to three days on-site. Enrollment as of February 13 stood at 118 students at North Central and 91 at South, with class sizes ranging from 9 to 18 depending on grade level. However, board members raised concerns about the ALCs’ effectiveness, citing unmanageable class sizes, the burden on teachers handling 7th-12th grade curricula, and mixed-age bus transportation from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Two options were presented. Option 1 would enhance the ALCs, mandating five-day attendance for all students under a strengthened stipulation conduct agreement. This would limit students to one ALC placement per grade band (K-6 and 7-12), aiming to curb repeat offenders. Option 2, the diversion program, mirrors the district’s successful drug diversion initiative. Students committing certain expellable offenses would face out-of-school suspension, weekly counseling, a conduct agreement, and exclusion from extracurriculars, while remaining at their home school. Level five offenses and select level fours would trigger expulsion, with an online curricular option to maintain academic progress.

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Misty Bland shared insights from nine Florida counties, noting their use of ALCs, sheriff’s programs, home instruction, and out-of-school suspension centers. She emphasized the diversion program’s potential, citing its alignment with Brevard’s drug diversion success. The briefing document underscored staffing implications: the diversion program could reallocate 31 of the 38 ALC staff back to schools, freeing seven buses and potentially reducing the ALCs’ combined $2.4 million budget, though operational costs like electricity and water would persist.

Board members leaned heavily toward Option 2. Mrs. Wright called the current ALC setup “an impossible task” for teachers and stressed that “expelled means expelled,” advocating for a clear distinction between diversion and expulsion. Dr. Rendell highlighted that some students historically recommended for ALCs either never attended or didn’t thrive, resulting in their loss from the district. She saw the diversion program as a way to retain students academically at their home schools. Mr. Trent and Mr. Susin echoed support, noting the strain on ALC staff and the value of keeping students connected to their school communities.

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Concerns surfaced about therapeutic support and offense classification. Mrs. Campbell worried that diversion might offer less social worker and therapy access than ALCs, though weekly counseling was assured. The board tasked staff with refining level four and five offense definitions—proposing that severe infractions like sexual assault shift to level five (automatic expulsion)—and ensuring robust online program parameters, such as a 6% weekly progress requirement.

Financially, the shift could yield savings, though not the full $2.4 million, as North Central’s Garden facility and South ALC would remain operational for district use. The board directed staff to collaborate with principals and the discipline committee to finalize details, integrating feedback into the code of conduct for a future vote.

This disciplinary overhaul aligns with broader worksession themes of enhancing student outcomes, evident in discussions on Career and Technical Education partnerships and a new Financial Literacy course. The board’s move toward Option 2 reflects a commitment to balancing accountability with opportunity, aiming to set clear expectations while keeping students engaged in their education.

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