SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS | Policy Manual | Brevard Co. Public Schools

1030 - SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

The Superintendent, as secretary and executive officer of the Board, shall have the responsibility for the administration and management of the District's schools and for the supervision of instruction in the District.
The Superintendent shall enforce the rules of the State Board of Education, rules of the Florida Department of Education, and the policies of this Board. At all times, the Superintendent shall be responsible for complying with the Standards of Ethical Conduct outlined in Policy 3210 and elsewhere in Florida law.
The Superintendent shall provide educational direction for the instructional staff and supervision for the support staff. The Florida statutes vest in the Superintendent the following powers:
1. exercise general oversight over the District in order to determine problems and needs, and recommend improvements.
2. advise and counsel with the Board on all educational matters and make recommendations to the Board for action regarding such matters as should be acted upon.
3. recommend to the Board such policies as the Superintendent may consider necessary for the District's more efficient operation.
4. prepare and submit to the Board for adoption such policies to supplement those rules adopted by the State Board of Education that, in the Superintendent's judgment, will contribute to the efficient operation of the District, and, upon adoption by the Board, require compliance with these policies.
5. from time-to-time prepare, organize, and submit to the Board for adoption such minimum standards relating to the operation of any phase of the District program as are needed, in the Superintendent's judgment, to supplement standards of the State Board of Education and as will contribute to the efficient operation of the District's program, and, upon adoption by the Board, require that said standards are observed.
6. perform such duties and exercise such responsibilities as are assigned to the Superintendent by law and by rules of the State Board of Education.
The Superintendent shall perform the duties and responsibilities set forth in the Florida statutes, including, but not limited to, the following:
1. keep the Board informed of school operation by preparing Board agendas, providing oral and written communication, scheduling management meetings, and requesting special Board meetings that become necessary to keep the Board properly informed;
2. enforce the rules and regulations of the Board;
3. prepare and submit the annual budget to the Board for adoption and to direct all expenditures within the appropriations adopted by the Board;
4. submit the annual calendar for adoption to the Board;
5. make continuous study of the development and needs of the schools;
6. prepare reports to the Board on the conditions and needs of the schools and to acquaint the public with the said activities and needs;
7. recommend measures to the Board so that adequate educational facilities are available throughout the District;
8. ensure proper implementation of the current District-wide instructional plan as it applies to each building;
9. direct and supervise the work of all the schools, offices, and employees of the Board in accordance with the Florida statutes, Federal law, and the policies of the Board;
10. said employees shall be subordinate to the Superintendent in all matters, including those specifically assigned by those rules and regulations to a particular department, division, or official;
11. shall develop and maintain a system of planning and budgeting in which individual school centers are the principal planning units, and thereby, strive to increase the efficient use of District resources in the daily operations of the schools;
12. assign staff to their respective teaching duties;
13. evaluate the support staff with respect to their assigned duties;
14. require the participation of all instructional staff members and school administrators in training on the District's standards of ethical conduct and the related policies and procedures upon employment and annually thereafter;
15. participate in such conferences and courses of continuing professional education so that s/he may function more efficiently and effectively;
16. make recommendations, nominations, proposals, and reports required by law to be acted upon by the Board;
17. require that all aspects of District operation comply with State laws and regulations as well as Board contracts and policies;
18. require that all laws, rules of the State Board of Education, and the policies of the Board are properly observed;
19. analyze the results of instructional program development as it applies to the Board's educational goals;
20. recommend changes in instructional or staffing patterns based on an analysis of staff and program progress;
21. work cooperatively with parents and community groups concerned with programs in the schools;
22. develop personal capabilities in personnel strategies and facility management;
23. work cooperatively with the Board and administrative staff;
24. strive toward the highest standards of personal conduct;
25. authorize administrators to enter into agreements with consultants:
  1. Agreements must be signed by the consultant and approving authority prior to the performance of services. The following additional approval signatures must be obtained prior to any services being performed.
  2. Agreements in excess of $50.00 per hour ($400.00 per day) up to $100.00 per hour ($800.00 per day), which total less than $25,000.00 must be approved by the Superintendent or designee.
  3. Agreements in excess of $100.00 per hour ($800.00 per day), which total $25,000.00 or more, must be approved by the Board.
26. delegate authority to staff in any matters, when it becomes expedient to do so, and assume full responsibility for the execution and satisfactory completion of the delegated activities;
27. recommend to the Board an annual plan for instructional programs. The Superintendent may authorize changes or exceptions as necessary for implementing the instructional program;
28. perform other duties as the Board may direct.
The Superintendent shall further comply with the following:
1. Pursuant to F.S. 1001.42(7), the Superintendent may not knowingly sign and transmit to any State official a report of alleged misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student which the Superintendent knows to be false or incorrect, or knowingly fail to adopt policies that require instructional personnel and school administrators to report alleged misconduct by other instructional personnel and school administrators, or that require the investigation of all reports of alleged misconduct by instructional personnel and school administrators, if the misconduct affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Violation of these provisions will result in the forfeit of the Superintendent's salary for one (1) year.
2. Pursuant to Policy 8141 and Florida law, the Superintendent shall investigate any allegation of misconduct by District employees which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student, including misconduct that involves engaging in or soliciting sexual, romantic, or lewd conduct with a student, and shall report the alleged misconduct to the Department of Education as required in F.S. 1012.796, 1001.51(12)(b), 1001.42(7)(b). The Superintendent shall report to law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction any misconduct that would result in disqualification from educator certification or employment as set forth in F.S. 1012.315.
3. Pursuant to Florida law, the Superintendent shall complete four (4) hours of ethics training each calendar year that addresses, at a minimum, the constitutional "Sunshine Law" provisions (Article II, Section 8), the statutory Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees (F.S. Chapter 112, Part III), and the public records and public meetings laws. This requirement may be satisfied by completion of a continuing legal education class or other continuing professional education class, seminar, or presentation if the required subjects are covered. The Superintendent must further receive annual training on the Standards of Ethical Conduct set forth in Policy 3210.

Revised 4/22/08
Revised 10/10/23