OCPS | 2026-10-06 School Board Work Session

The OCPS Board work session on October 6, 2026, included an informational update on Florida’s new AI rule, which districts must implement by July 1, 2027, followed by review of proposed facilities and procurement policy revisions. Staff said the rule will require updates to OCPS’s review and procurement processes for AI tools, vendor contracts, student-data retention and reporting, parent notice and consent, and mandatory staff training. Board members discussed implementation workload and potential costs; no AI-related purchasing decision was made.

The procurement review, informed by a Council of the Great City Schools peer review, covered policies DJA and DJB and proposed sunsetting facilities policies FE and FEG after incorporating their provisions into the purchasing policies. Proposed changes would delegate more purchasing and change-order authority within board-approved budgets, increase the emergency procurement threshold from $50,000 to $250,000, and set the superintendent’s approval threshold at $250,000; staff noted that state competitive-bidding requirements for purchases over $50,000 remain in effect. Other revisions include a no-contact period for lobbyists and vendors after a competitive solicitation is posted, with violations making a proposal non-responsive. Staff also described plans to bring forward pilots for two performance-based contracts—one large operational contract and one facilities construction contract. The policies were reviewed, but no vote or contract award was recorded.