BROOKSVILLE — The Hernando County School Board on May 12 rejected a pair of charter school applications from You Thrive on 3-2 votes, though the state Board of Education could overturn the decision on appeal.
Attorney Robert Myers told the board that the law requires a letter giving just cause for the denial within 10 days, and if the applicant is not satisfied it can appeal to the state Board of Education.
“They could approve the application despite the fact that you denied it,” Myers said. “Given the way the state operates, there’s a good chance that they’d probably overrule you.”
The applications — for You Thrive Elementary School of Brooksville STEAM and You Thrive Elementary Academy for Creative Excellence — were the only items pulled from the consent agenda for separate votes at the May 12 meeting.
Dawn Williams, supervisor of school choice, told the board the review committee voted 15-1 to approve the applications, though members flagged concerns about assignment modifications for some students, school culture and discipline, staffing beyond the first year, the allocation of clerical, custodial and classroom support, human resources, the staff handbook and facilities.
“We have these concerns. In each area of the application the standard was met,” Williams said. “There’s certain criteria listed for meeting the standard. So these are just outside additional concerns that would not prevent us from approving the application.”
Board member Susan Duval pressed Williams on the committee’s reservations for both applications. There was no board discussion.
The votes initially favored the applications. But Myers said Vice Chair Shannon Rodriguez wanted to switch her vote after speaking with him, and Duval asked to change hers as well. The motion on the STEAM school failed 3-2, and Chair Kayce Hawkins changed her vote on the Creative Excellence application to defeat it by the same margin.
Awards and recognitions
The chambers were the fullest they had been in months as the board distributed a slate of awards.
Honorees included students from Numeracy Week’s “Pouring Our Hearts into Math” activity; Springstead High School students recognized for their response to an on-campus incident; Hernando High School students who earned New Worlds Scholar designation; graduating seniors recognized for leadership, community service and scholarship; and the district’s 2025-2026 Artificial Intelligence Task Force.
Weeki Wachee High School athletic director Patrick McHugh was honored as the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association’s 2026 Section 2 Athletic Director of the Year. He also earned his Certified Athletic Administrator designation from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
The board also recognized the district’s master’s in Educational Leadership cohort, and Sherri Hall was honored for 40 years of service.
Student delegate debate continues
Student delegate Jaserah Abdul-Rahim was attending a school event and submitted a video update in her absence.
Public comment again centered on the delegate position, with both sides repeating earlier arguments. Rodriguez held firm that the delegate should not sit on the dais and pushed back on rhetoric from some speakers, at one point defending her reference to students as “children” because they remain in the school system.
Rodriguez also clashed with a parent who criticized standardized testing during public comment.
The board plans to take up the delegate issue over the summer.
In other action
The board approved numerous contracts and field trips on the consent agenda. Students from Brooksville Elementary School led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The next School Board meeting is May 26.