FASTfacts - July 14, 2026 (Vol. 22, Issue 01)

Mental Health Plan Approved at $5.6 Million

School Board members approved the District's Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan, which will cost just over $5.6 million this year.

Florida requires the plan under the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.

The total includes $2.6 million carried over from the previous school year.

The plan provides training for teachers and staff to help them recognize and respond to student mental health concerns. It also helps connect students and families with appropriate behavioral health services.

In addition, the program uses a multi-tiered system of support to increase access to proven mental health services. These services include assessment, diagnosis, intervention, treatment, and recovery support for students with mental health challenges, substance use concerns, or other high-risk needs.

Funding is based on the state's student enrollment allocation formula.

Marion Charter School, McIntosh Area School, and Ocali Charter Middle and High School are also participating in the plan and will receive allocated funding. 

New School Year Brings New Purchases

School Board members unanimously approved several major purchases during their latest meeting, including:

• $1 million for furniture at South Marion High School (opening next month), East Marion Elementary School, and Osceola Middle School. The vendor is Ernie Morris Enterprises, Inc. of Bushnell. This purchase is in addition to the $3.2 million approved earlier this year, largely due to the recently approved build-out of South Marion High's third floor to accommodate more students.
• $1 million for carpet and vinyl flooring materials and installation throughout the District. The vendor is Penn Flooring of Ocala.
• $106,000 for an additional speech-language pathologist to support services for students. The approved vendor is Willow and Words Speech and Language Services, LLC.
• $65,532 for new band uniforms and accessories for South Marion High School. DeMoulin Brothers & Company of Illinois was selected as the vendor.

Reading Plan Receives Unanimous School Board Support

Florida school districts must submit a K-12 Comprehensive Evidence-Based Reading Plan to the Florida Department of Education each year after School Board approval.

Board members approved the District's 2026-27 Reading Plan, which has a budget of nearly $2.7 million.

The plan focuses primarily on kindergarten through third-grade students who have significant reading deficiencies.

It outlines how administrators, professional development, assessments, curriculum, and classroom instruction will work together to improve student reading achievement using Florida's English Language Arts Standards.

Funding will support literacy coaches, instructional materials, and third-grade summer reading camps.

The complete plan is available through the District's website.

Administrators of schools that maintained "A" or "B" grades this past year, and those who improved at least one letter grade, pose following standing-ovation recognition from School Board members and Superintendent Dr. Brewer at the start of tonight's meeting.