Pasco County Schools joins the Florida Legislature in recognizing that it is a fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children. Because there are multiple kinds of services available, the Parent Portal permits you, as a parent with fundamental rights under Florida’s Parents' Bill of Rights, to make informed, individualized, and specific consent decisions that best support both your child and your parenting decisions.
Please be advised that by providing consent to healthcare or other services you are not waiving your rights to access any records that Pasco County Schools may possess regarding your child. Pasco County Schools protects parental rights by abiding by and enforcing Section 1002.22, Florida Statutes, as well as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) with regards to a student’s records.
Please be advised that to the extent that your child is educated through the utilization of an individualized education plan (IEP) or Section 504 Plan, then the specific written consent(s) you have provided during the IEP or Section 504 planning, or evaluation process will control and take precedence over any consent parameters set forth in this Online Consent Notification System. If you are not in agreement with the consents and/or services or evaluations provided to your child under their IEP or Section 504 planning or evaluation process, please contact their school to schedule a team meeting to discuss the same and otherwise avail yourself of the rights afforded to you under the IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
To learn more about the healthcare and other services that are available to your child, and to make your informed decision as to whether you will be consenting to the provision of those services, please continue the Parent Portal. To learn more about how to complete the acknowledgement, notification and consent forms click here.
Parents' Bill of Rights and Legal Notices
The School Board of Pasco County Florida is committed to honoring the rights of parents and promoting parental involvement in the District. The Board recognizes the fundamental rights of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.
Parents or guardians have a right to raise concerns regarding a school’s compliance with HB 1557 - Parental Rights in Education. Please click here for more information.
School Board Policy
Parent/Guardian Notices and Rights
Parental Consent and Opt-outs
HB 545 Requires schools districts and boards to:
Publish notice on district's website concerning parent's right to exempt student from reproductive health & disease education
Annually approve instructional materials relating to reproductive health & disease education in an open, noticed public meeting
Specifies that reproductive health & disease education instructional materials are to be made available for public review & comment under specific process.
It is the right of the parent and/or guardian to request to exempt their student from reproductive health & disease education. This can be done in the myStudent Parent Portal.
Every student is provided the opportunity to check out and utilize books (print and eBooks), periodicals and other resources at the school. Materials included in the school library/media center should be age appropriate and support state standards and benchmarks and course goals. Click here to find materials located in your school's media collection. Parents who would like to opt out their student from the opportunity to check out and utilize books (print and eBooks), periodicals and other resources at the school can indicate this in the Parent Portal.
Under Federal and Florida Law (20 USC 1232g and Section 1002.22, FS), “directory information” is not considered confidential information, and may be shared by schools without prior parental consent. However, law does provide parents with the right to request that “directory information” related to their child not be shared (These same rights apply to “eligible” students, which includes students that are attending a postsecondary institution, or who have attained the age of 18.). This is commonly referred to as an “Opt-Out” under FERPA.
Pasco County Schools designates the following as "directory information": a student's name; address; telephone number (if it is a listed number); date and place of birth; participation in officially-recognized activities and sports; height and weight (if a member of an athletic team); dates of attendance; date of graduation or program completion; awards received; and photograph(s). Please see School Board Policy 8330 for additional information.
Below you will find a link to the document that outlines “Opt-Out” options for Media Release and Directory Information.
Parent or Guardians can complete this form in the myStudent Parent Portal.
Pasco County Schools may request the use of Medicaid reimbursements to support the delivery of health care services throughout the school district. By selecting "Yes" you are giving Pasco County Schools permission to utilize information contained on this form that is required by the Agency of Health Care Administration in order to verify Medicaid eligibility. In addition, you are giving permission for Pasco County Schools to access your child's public benefits to pay a share of the cost for services provided as referenced in the child's Individual Educational Plan (if applicable). At no time will you be required to incur out of pocket expenses for these services regardless of your child's Medicaid eligibility status. Any personally identifiable information about your child will not be disclosed to any other organization for any purpose except what has been noted above.
Parents must provide consent via the Parent Portal.
Pasco County Schools will administer the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) to 10th grade students at no cost to students. This test is used as a counseling and diagnostic tool, which can be used to foster student thought about advanced coursework and college/career planning. This is an optional test. If you would prefer that your student not participate in this test, please use the parent portal to opt out.
Every student is provided the opportunity to participate in the School Health Service Program provided by Pasco County School Health Staff in collaboration with Florida Department of Health in Pasco. As required in Section 381.0056, Florida Statues, the District's School Health Plan is to enrich learning by promoting the student's health and wellness. State mandated health screenings are performed in the following grades:
Vision- Kg, 1st, 3rd, 6th;
Hearing- KG,1st, 6th;
Height and Weight (BMI) - 1st, 3rd, 6th;
Scoliosis - 6th.
Additional grades or individual students may be screened based on need. All students new to the state of Florida grade K-5 will be screened for vision and hearing. Consent can be provided in the Parent Portal and will remain in effect for one school year or parent/guardian rescind consent for school health services. Separate parent/guardian authorizations will be required for the school clinic staff or school staff to administer daily or as-needed prescribed or over-the-counter medications, conduct medical procedures or provide medical treatment. When necessary, emergency health services such as emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), or use of automated external defibrillator (AED) will be performed until Emergency Medical Services arrive on campus.
Each year the district administers a select number of student surveys. Parents have the right to opt out of their student engaging in these surveys. The list of district approved surveys for the 22-23 school year is below.
- Gallup - 5th -12th Grade: Students' experiences at school largely influence their current and future success. Does a student feel that adults at school care for them? Do they feel like they belong, have hope for their future, and understand and manage their emotions? Measuring these critical elements of the student experience can accelerate a school's efforts to support student success.Students who are hopeful are 2.8 times more likely to say they get excellent grades than their discouraged peers. Gallup Education data and analytics show that students' engagement and hope for the future are linked to achievement, grades, absenteeism and plans after high school.
- Career Surveys - 6th - 12th Grade: The Career Interest Profiler is an online career interest assessment for students. It allows students to complete an inventory which analyzes their own interests and pairs the results with potential career matches.
- Equal Opportunity Student Interest Survey - 9th - 11th Grade: EOS Fall Student and Staff Surveys are designed to examine school culture for equity. Reports generated from the survey provide trends on information, expectations, and belonging in your Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) program, and/or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE).
- Youth Risk Behavior Survey - 6th - 12th Grade: The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults, including:
- Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence
- Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection
- Alcohol and other drug use
- Tobacco use
- Unhealthy dietary behaviors
- Inadequate physical activity
YRBSS also measures the prevalence of obesity and asthma and other health-related behaviors plus sexual identity and sex of sexual contacts.
-
Youth Behavior Survey/Florida Youth Survey - 6th - 12th Grade: The Florida Youth Survey (FYS) is a multi-agency youth health behavior surveillance program coordinated by the Florida Departments of Health, Children and Families, and Education. The FYS is a statewide, school-based survey effort which includes four survey instruments: the Florida Youth Tobacco Survey (FYTS), the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), the Middle School Health Behavior Survey (MSHBS), and the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS). Schools and classrooms are randomly selected, and the survey responses are anonymous.
- HS Enrollment Termination "Dropout" Survey - 12th Grade: Section 1003.21, Florida Statutes, also stipulates that a student’s guidance counselor or other school personnel must conduct an exit interview with the student to determine the reason(s) the student has decided to terminate school enrollment and what action(s) could be taken to keep the student in school. The student must further be informed of opportunities to continue his or her education in a different environment, including but not limited to, adult education and GED Test preparation. Additionally, the student must complete a survey in a format prescribed by the Department of Education to provide data on students’ reasons for terminating enrollment and the actions taken by schools to keep students enrolled. The prescribed format for the Student Survey can be found at: http://www.fldoe.org/family/dropoutp/pdf/FLDropoutSurvey.pdf.
- Graduate and Leavers survey - 12th Grade: Pasco County Schools conducts a survey of the high school experience for all exiting high school students as they complete their final year. The data is agregated to learn trends inforning engagement and common experiences for the entire group and is not utilized at the individual student level.
- Student-created surveys as a part of required coursework.
Parents Acknowledgements
Students interested in athletics must have all required forms completed, signed, and submitted to the coach/school BEFORE the student can participate in off-season conditioning or in-season tryouts. For more information visit Athletics Webpage.
Guidelines and procedures regarding school choice including the application process, application windows, a list of schools deemed "frozen" due to student capacity and appeal procedures.
Pasco County Schools is proud to offer many high-quality educational options at each of our great schools. While most students are assigned to a school based on the location of their residence, our district provides families with a variety of school choice options and programs. We encourage students, parents, and guardians to explore all that we offer and to choose the best option for their student based on his or her unique learning needs and interests.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program was established during the 2019 Legislative Session to enhance Florida's menu of education options. It will provide children whose families have limited financial resources with the opportunity to attend the school that best meets their needs and enables them to reach their academic goals.
Pre-participation form (Required for Band, Eurythmics, & JROTC Students)
Secondary band, JRTOC and eurhythmics teachers will need to have a signed copy of the Student Participation Consent form on file for each student. Please contact your student's teacher for the form to complete.
Description of the reasons that Pasco County Schools collects Social Security numbers for our students and how that information is protected and used:
Pasco County School District implements the use of virtual communication and instruction platforms (“VCP,” such as “ZOOM”, “Facetime,” etc.,) to provide a situational alternative to physical meetings, and to supplement instruction when students and/or staff are not able to meet face to face. VCPs are owned and operated by third parties, and while the staff of The Pasco County School District will abide by all laws, regulations, and policies concerning the privacy of any confidential or protected information contained in any online broadcasts, it cannot make any assertions regarding the VCPs’ compliance with any applicable laws, regulations, or policies.
As a parent, you are entitled to information about your rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These rights, or procedural safeguards, are intended to ensure that you have the opportunity to be a partner in the educational decisions made regarding your child.
Description of the policy that promotes mutual respect, civility and orderly conduct among all district employees, students, families and the general public.
Comprehensive handbook of the complete Student Code of Conduct for all students, the discipline matrix, rights of students and procedures for due process and appeals
Florida Statute 1008.25 requires each district school board to establish a comprehensive program for student progression. Each district school board must annually report to the parent of each student the progress of the student toward achieving state and district expectations for proficiency in English Language Arts, science, mathematics, and social studies. The district school board must report to the parent the student’s results on each statewide assessment test. The evaluation of each student’s progress must be based upon the student’s classroom work, observations, tests, district and state assessments, and other relevant information. Progress reporting must be provided to the parent in writing in a format adopted by the district school board. Click here for more information on the Student Progression Plan.
Parents Notifications
Description and policy regarding bullying, harassment and teen dating violence and abuse (see also Student Code of Conduct)
Listing of Career & Technical Education programs available to Pasco students and the location of each program.
A parent has the right to request that his or her student be transferred to a different classroom teacher
Each secondary school will offer District Sponsored Clubs for students. Additionally, there may be Non-District Student Groups offered. For more information on what is available at your students school, please visit the school's website.
Description and location of the various dropout prevention programs that are available and implemented in Pasco County Schools.
Florida has an extensive postsecondary higher education system—a system that provides students access to a world class education. To ensure Florida’s postsecondary higher education system is well positioned for the future, the Florida Legislature created the Economic Security Report to provide students, parents, and others with information on graduates of Florida’s public postsecondary institutions of higher education.
Pasco County Schools (PCS) may provide, refer, or otherwise seek emergency medical care or treatment for a child when the child has been injured or is otherwise suffering from an acute illness, disease, or condition from which a reasonable person would believe that a delay in the initiation or provision of emergency medical care or treatment would endanger the health or physical well-being of the child. If PCS is unable to reach parents or designated contact using the number(s) listed on the child’s emergency card, PCS will take whatever actions it deems reasonable and necessary to provide or obtain care and treatment for the child, and to exchange both educational and medical information with a health care provider as necessary to support the continuity of care of the child. Additional information can be found in this document.
Student education records are official and confidential documents protected by one of the nation’s strongest privacy protection laws, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Information about the food and nutrition services provided to Pasco students, meal prices and information regarding the criteria and application process for free/reduced meals.
2022-23 Meal Pricing:
Breakfast: - Elementary: $1.60, Middle/High $1.75;
Lunch: Elementary/Middle $3.00, High $3.50.
Additional entrees, extra side items a la carte and snacks are also available for purchase.
Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, a student enrolled in a Florida public school in kindergarten through grade 12 who has been subjected to an incident of battery; harassment; hazing; bullying; kidnapping; physical attack; robbery; sexual offenses, harassment, assault, or battery; threat or intimidation; or fighting at school the opportunity to transfer to another public school with capacity or enroll in an approved private school under the Hope Scholarship.
In Pasco County Schools it is a goal to provide high quality instructional materials to support the teaching and learning process. The selection of core instructional materials is governed by School Board Policy 2520. The policy provides a guide for the selection, adoption, purchase, and procedures for parents/guardians/or residents to challenge adoption and/or existing materials.
Information regarding Naviance - an online platform available to Pasco's middle and high school students to assist with planning and post-secondary life including post-secondary education, financial aid information and career planning
The District School Board of Pasco County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, or age in its programs, services, and activities or in its hiring and employment practices. You may contact the Equity Manager at (813) 794-2322.
Information regarding the Health Information Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) and how Pasco County Schools protects this information.
Pursuant to chapter 39 all employees and agents of the district school board, charter school or private school have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.
All employees and agents of a public school district, charter school or private school have an obligation and legal responsibility to report misconduct by instructional personnel and school administrators which affects the health, safety or welfare of a student.
The district follows the rules set forth in F.S. 6A-3.0121.
Any student who is determined to have brought a firearm or weapon must also be referred to mental health services identified by the school district. Any student who is determined to have made a threat or false report must be referred to mental health services identified by the school district for evaluation or treatment, when appropriate.
To Opt-Out of “directory information” distribution, make a written request to the Principal of the school your child(ren) attend, including student name, and student ID in the letter. (see Policy 8330)
Policy regarding the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the process for students to be excused from this activity (see Policy 8800)
One of Florida's top virtual schools is right here at home in Pasco County! Pasco eSchool offers free enrollment in a full-year program featuring the best of tradition and innovation in education for students in kindergarten through 12th-grade. Students may enroll in Pasco eSchool as part-time or full-time participants in this nationally-recognized program. Students co-enrolled in public, private, or charter schools, as well as students new to Pasco County, are eligible to apply for enrollment or select ala carte courses at any time.