# SCS | Board Work Session- Tuesday, October 6, 2026  - 10:00a


**Body:** Sarasota Schools
**Date:** October 05, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Education, Information Technology, Grants & Funding, Physical Infrastructure


Sarasota Schools Board work session, October 6, 2026: Staff presented school-safety inspection and security-assessment findings. Of 16 district safety inspections, 13 passed without deficiencies; the main recurring issue was unsecured classroom doors, and corrective action for identified violations was generally taken within days. Staff also discussed ongoing camera replacements and additions, access-control improvements, emergency-egress gates, and long-range safety and capital planning. The board received an update on North Port’s pilot combining SmartPass with the transcript-identified Verata vaping-detection system; out-of-assigned-area referrals fell 76% at the eight-week mark. Staff proposed returning to the board to raise the purchasing limit from $200,000 to $500,000 to support expanding SmartPass to additional high schools, including related technology and integrations. No purchase or spending increase was approved at this work session.

The board also discussed potential legislative priorities, including increased Safe Schools and Mental Health funding, ESE funding, instructional-material flexibility, FEFP modernization, and a possible $1–$1.5 million state appropriation for Junior Achievement programming at Emma E. Booker and JA BizTown. Members differed on which priorities to advance and whether to approve a platform before newly elected board members take office; no legislative agenda or appropriation request was voted on. The meeting further included a report on academic progress and assessment results. No contract award or vendor selection was made.

**Source:** Sarasota Schools