Broward County School Board

The board met Tuesday to pick their top three candidate for superintendent.

The pool of semifinalists include an internal candidate, an administrator in neighboring Palm Beach County, and other career educators who have worked in Detroit, D.C. and Houston public schools.

The Broward County School Board voted to accept more applications for the district's top job, after the superintendent of the Las Vegas-area school district — the country's fifth largest — voiced interest in the post.

Twenty-six people applied to be the next superintendent of Broward County Public Schools, but the district's search consultant says he's only really confident in two. Florida politics are partially to blame, he says.

The Broward County school district contracts with local law enforcement agencies to have a school resource officer (SRO) on every campus. But the district isn't paying the bill for those services, according to one local police chief.

The board and Superintendent Vickie Cartwright agreed to a mutual separation agreement, suggested by board member Debbi Hixon, on Tuesday. But a vote is still pending.

In a tense and chaotic meeting, the board voted to undo her surprise November firing — with a caveat — while critics bemoaned it as "kicking the can down the road."

The board voted to cement their decision to fire the district's superintendent, just one week before four of the members will be replaced by new members.

Vickie Cartwright was fired in the wake of a grand jury report on the school shooting after a late-night surprise motion by a board member appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Broward Schools chief Vickie Cartwright's job was on the line during a tense, hours-long meeting on Tuesday. But the school board decided to spare her — and give her 90 days to show improvement.

She called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to work with her members to help students, rather than trying to "divide parents and teachers" through what she says are divisive and damaging policies.

The superintendent of Broward County Public Schools didn't join the district until months after a grand jury finished its work. But as the fallout around the grand jury's report continues, the chair of the state Board of Education is suggesting she should be suspended.