Pasco County School Board Meeting- October 20, 2026

Pasco County School Board meeting, October 20, 2026: The Salary Referendum Oversight Committee presented its annual report, saying referendum funds were used for employee salary supplements and contributed to improved staffing and student outcomes. It reported a 2025 starting teacher salary of $51,000 including supplements, with supplements ranging from $3,000 to just under $9,000 annually. A bus driver disputed the report’s account of driver vacancies and pay; district staff later clarified that existing targeted supplements for drivers were not being discontinued, while continuation of a separate attendance incentive would require union agreement. Board members encouraged voters to renew the salary referendum, which also supports school safety. A board member also described a proposed Step Up for Students collaboration tied to a federal education tax credit beginning January 1, 2027, which could direct additional resources to eligible students through voluntary employer payroll giving; no cost to employers was described.

The board approved the consent agenda, whose individual items were not detailed in the transcript, and approved naming Gulf High School’s track and field facility the Dean Lofton Track Facility. No specific procurement actions—such as contract awards, RFPs, vendor selections, or bid approvals—were identified. The meeting also included recognition presentations, student expulsion votes, and public comment on school reconfiguration and employee compensation.