NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD OF PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA

RULE TITLE: 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Communicates minimal requirements for students’ behavior and summarizes the policies of the District School Board of Pasco County.

SUMMARY OF RULE: Contains policies that describe students’ rights and responsibilities, behavioral offenses and consequences, rules of attendance, dress and appearance, other matters pertaining to the conduct and behavior of students, and appeal procedures.

SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: Section 1006.07 Florida Statutes.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: Sections, 1001.41; 1001.42, and 1006.07, Fla. Stat.

A PUBLIC WORKSHOP AND PUBLIC HEARING HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE HEARD ON THE PROPOSED RULE IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE BOARD BYLAWS AND POLICIES. THE DATES, TIME, AND PLACE ARE:

Public Workshop – March 3, 2026 Public Hearing –_March 17, 2026
8:00 AM 6:00 PM
Board Room, Building #3 Board Room, Building #3
7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638 Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638

IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE RULE WILL BE ADOPTED ON APRIL 14, 2026, WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF APRIL 15, 2026.

DATE AND PLACE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED:
February 25, 2026, Tampa Bay Times, Tampa, Pasco County, Florida.

If not otherwise scheduled upon the initiative of the Superintendent or the request of the Board, and if requested in writing and not deemed unnecessary by the agency head, a rule development workshop will be noticed in the Tampa Bay Times and the Board’s website.

Any person requiring a special accommodation to participate in the meetings above noticed because of a disability should contact call 727-774-2649 (West Pasco), 813-794-2649 (Central Pasco), or 352-524-2649 (East Pasco), 48 hours in advance of the meeting to make appropriate arrangements. If any person appearing before the School Board anticipates or expects that he or she might appeal any decision made by the School Board, that person will need a record of the proceedings, and that for such purpose, that person will need to insure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

The Agency does not anticipate any the adoption of this rule will (1) have an adverse impact on small business; or (2) directly or indirectly increase regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate in the state within 1 year after the implementation of the rule. Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in
writing within 21 days of this notice.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED FOR INFORMATION OR TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

Melissa Musselwhite, Director, Student Support Programs and Services
Pasco County Schools
7227 Land O’ Lakes Boulevard
Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638
(727) 774-2165
mmusselw@pasco.k12.fl.us

Links to specific matters regarding the Pasco Schools are available at:
www.pasco.k12.fl.us

A copy of the proposed rule is available by contacting the individual identified above.

If not otherwise scheduled upon the initiative of the Superintendent or the request of the Board, any person who is affected by the proposed rulemaking described herein may contact the individual identified above to request a public hearing within twenty (21) days of this notice.

School board agendas are published online at: www.pasco.k12.fl.us
02/25/2026 78692