Roles and Responsibilities
When considering the issues facing the district, it is important to understand the roles and responsibilities of the School Board. Generally, the School Board sets policies, while the Superintendent is responsible for implementing those policies. Some policies established by the School Board are designed to comply with state and federal laws. Here are the areas where School Board members have direct responsibility:
- Curriculum. The school board approves curriculums for all schools.
- Developing and adopting policies. The school board sets policies that govern our schools, such as the district’s code of conduct, approving collective bargaining agreements that govern teacher and staff contracts, the opening or closing of some schools, and more.
- Setting the budget. Public schools are funded by tax dollars (both property, state sales tax and federal taxes). Although the state of Florida has a big say in how school districts spend their money, the school board determines how a lot of these education dollars are allocated within the school district. You can learn more about how the budget works in a 2012 Jacksonville Public Education Fund policy brief.
- Overseeing facilities issues. It is the responsibility of the school board to approve or deny changes in school academic programs (like magnet programs) and which schools should remain open or closed down.
Issues
Among the current issues facing the Duval County School Board are:
Adjusting the Master Facilities Plan
A consultant for Duval County Public Schools presented an updated master facility plan that includes consolidating schools to adjust for declining school enrollment and the resulting reduction in revenue.
Read More:
- Inflation, new laws among factors contributing to a new Master Facility Plan price tag
- Interactive Map: Duval County School Board’s proposal to close & realign schools
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
As teachers leave the classroom, fewer people are choosing teaching as a career, leading to a national shortage. Florida is among the top states experiencing a shortage of teachers. Research shows that having highly qualified teachers is the most important in-classroom factor to student success.
Read More:
- Understanding Teacher Well-Being and Retention in 2024
- Pay, hours and politics: reasons behind Florida's teacher shortage
Learning Loss
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent increased levels of absenteeism, Duval County Public Schools - like many school districts across the nation - is contending with learning loss. While recent reports show improvement at individual schools, overall Duval County had slower gains than other Florida districts.
Read More:
- Team Duval soars in latest accreditation review, earns exceptional scores and feedback
- Understanding Statewide Assessments Reports for Families
- Grit and Grain: How Duval County Schools looks to curb absenteeism