Duval County School Board moves forward with $953M facility plan, school closures pending final vote

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The looming school closures in Duval County are getting closer. The Duval County School Board approved the budget set for the Master Facility Plan at Tuesday night’s meeting.

READ: Duval County School Board to vote on Master Facility Plan amid $1.4 billion budget shortfall

This is the plan for district school consolidations and closures.

The 6-1 vote approved the Five-Year Capital Plan, which includes the Master Facility Plan.

Duval Board Member Kelly Coker was the only “No” vote.

“I have some concerns about the materials,” Coker said.

Many of the board members mentioned the confusion regarding the Master Facility Plan vote because it was under the agenda item for the Five-Year Capital Plan.

But Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier clarified the vote at the start of the meeting:

“What the board is working on tonight is a funding allocation plan that breaks down funding allocations for years 1-5,” Dr. Bernier said.

While the Master Facility Plan had updates on the school closures, the vote was solely on the budget framework over the next five years.

The Master Facility Plan is budgeted at $953 million out of the total $1.9 billion allocated for the Five-Year Capital Plan.

But the plan will require a yearly review and board approval.

“There will be no additional school building based upon any action tonight,” Dr. Bernier said.

The proposed school closures were put into the Master Facility Plan earlier this year because of a $1.4 billion shortfall to the 2019′s Master Facility Plan.

The district said the problem stemmed from the charter school and private school vouchers, lower enrollment numbers, and covid-related inflation.

After months of reviewing the MFP, the updated proposal includes a revised list.

Among the elementary schools set to close in the first fiscal year include Pine Estates, which would consolidate with Highlands Estates Academy while Englewood would consolidate into Spring Park and Hogan-Spring Glen.

The proposal for the second fiscal year has Reynolds Lane closing into Pickett, George Washington Carver into Payne, and Susie E. Tolbert into Livingston.

“We also have a fiduciary responsibility to right size our school district,” Dr. Bernier said.

But nothing is set in stone – every school listed on this updated plan will have to go through a three step process of community meetings, public hearings, and then a board vote.

“I’m committed to this plan, but more importantly, I’m committed to following the board policy,” Dr. Bernier said.

After the community meetings for the schools on the list, there will be a public hearing on the proposed 2025-26 school consolidations set for October 29th. And the final vote is set for November 4th.

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