State denies Orange County Public Schools waiver request for reopening brick and mortar schools

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The state of Florida sent a letter to Orange County Public Schools denying the district's request for a waiver to reopen brick-and-mortar schools next month.

OCPS sent a letter to the Florida Department of Education requesting a waiver requesting to still get full funding if COVID-19 data didn't improve locally, and board members thought it was unsafe to reopen brick-and-mortar schools.

Attorneys for the department wrote in their response that "the day-to-day decision to open or close a school must always rest locally with the board or executive." The letter called the waiver request "unnecessary."

READ: Back to school: When do classes resume in Central Florida?

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said districts will not get full funding if parents don't have a face-to-face option in August.

Orange County School Board members voiced frustration last week over the emergency order.

“There’s a manipulation on social media and based on press conferences saying we have the authority when we don’t have that authority,” School Board member Johanna López said.

READ: Orange County Public Schools to begin virtual classes for all students Aug. 10

Officials said the district is facing a 20-25% drop in funding per student enrolled in LaunchED at Home if classrooms aren't open.

This news from the state comes the same day the Orange County teachers union filed a lawsuit against the district. The union said it doesn’t think the district will be able to safely open schools in August.

The union wants a judge to delay face-to-face learning until the district can prove it can reopen safely.

Stay tuned to Channel 9 Eyewitness News for updates.

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