Duval County Public Schools

Public school district in the United States

Duval County Public Schools

Location

1701 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, 32207

United States
District information
Motto| Every School. Every Classroom. Every Student. Every Day.[3]
Established| 1933 (1933)
Superintendent| Christopher Bernier
Schools| 196[1]
Budget| $3.5 billion (FY2023)[2]
Students and staff
Students| 130,278
Teachers| 8,284[1]
Other information
Language| English or bilingual with Spanish
Website| www.duvalschools.org
Headquarters

Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) is the public school district that serves the families and children residing in the urban, suburban, and rural areas of the City of Jacksonville and Duval County, Florida. As of 2015, the district had an enrollment of over 130,000 students, making it the 20th largest school district in the United States, and the 6th largest school district in Florida. The district's 196 schools are traditional neighborhood and magnet schools, charter schools, and alternative schools, all of which serve students of various needs.

The district is managed by the Duval County School Board and the Superintendent, Christopher Bernier. Current Duval County School Board members are Anthony Ricardo, District 1; Vice Chairman April Carney, District 2; Cindy Pearson, District 3; Darryl Willie, District 4; Reginald K. Blount, District 5; Chairman Charlotte Joyce, District 6; and Melody A. Bolduc, District 7.[4]

DCPS has achieved an overall ranking of “B,” according to the Florida Department of Education's school grade system, which is based on the New Florida Standards and Florida Standard Assessments (FSA) test results.[5]

## History

[edit]

In the spring of 1864, J.M. Hawks opened the first free public school in the state, located in Jacksonville.[6] The school was later branded as the Stanton Normal Institute in 1868, with a student body of 400. Duval County paved the way for public education in Florida by establishing the first stand-alone high school in 1877, and the first large-scale public school transportation system in 1898.[6]

## Leadership

[edit]

### Duval County School Board

[edit]

The district's administrative offices are primarily located on the south bank of the St. Johns River in a six-story building at 1701 Prudential Drive. Duval County Public Schools is governed by the Duval County School Board, a body of seven elected officers, each board member representing a particular geographic area. School Board districts are somewhat analogous to City Council districts in that there are two council districts in each school board district. Board members are elected every four years with two-term limits, with Districts 4 through 7 elected during midterm election cycles (next in 2026) and Districts 1 through 3 elected during presidential cycles (next in 2024).[7]

### Superintendents

[edit]

Name  | Years

|

2024-present  | Christopher Bernier
2023-2024  | Dana Kriznar
2018–2023  | Diana Greene
2017–2018  | Patricia Willis
2012–2017  | Nikolai Vitti
2007–2012  | Ed Pratt-Dannals
2005–2007  | Joseph Wise
1998–2005  | John Fryer
1989–1997  | Larry Zenke
1976–1989  | Herb Sang
1974–1976  | John Gunning
1969–1974  | Cecil Hardesty
1957–1969  | Ishmael "Ish" Brant
1953–1957  | Iva T. Sprinkle
1941–1953  | Daniel Boyd
1933–1941  | Robert C. Marshall
1928–1933  | R. B. Rutherford
1924–1928  | G. Elmer Wilbur

## Schools

[edit]

DCPS has 163 regular-attendance schools as of the 2015-16 school year: 102 elementary schools, 24 middle schools, 1 K-6 school, 2 K-8 schools, 2 6-12 schools and 19 high schools. The district also has an adult education system through its Bridge to Success program and Parent Academy, six dedicated ESE schools, as well as a hospital/homebound program, virtual school, and six alternative education centers.[8]

DCPS has used an attendance model of Kindergarten through Grade 5 for elementary schools, Grades 6-8 for middle school and Grades 9-12 for high school since 1991. Before then, Grade 6 was part of elementary school and Grade 9 was part of middle school (called Junior High in DCPS prior to 1988). Pre-Kindergarten education is available to all children from the age of 4 through the Early Learning Coalition of Duval's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program.[9]

DCPS has a wide variety of programs available to students within the district, and schools are categorized as either neighborhood, choice, or magnet schools.

### Magnet & School Choice

[edit]

All DCPS schools offer at least one choice program, special program, or acceleration program to students. The majority of schools in Duval County are boundary-based and serve students residing within that boundary. Some schools, such as non-dedicated magnet schools serve both neighborhood students as well as students residing outside the school's specified boundary, who are selected via lottery.[10] In February 2016, Duval County Public Schools received a 1.2 million dollar School Improvement Grant for use towards the development of STEM labs in 11 Title-1 schools.[11]

A total of 64 schools offer magnet programs. In addition to the required courses, offer a theme or focus that allows students to explore a special interest, talent or skill in fields such as the arts, aviation, culinary skills, language, law & legal occupations, mathematics, public service, science and technology. Duval County Public Schools contains both dedicated magnets, which do not have set boundaries, and non-dedicated magnets, which are neighborhood schools that also have magnet programs.[12]

### Charter schools

[edit]

Duval County also contains 34 charter schools.[13] These schools are located within the boundaries of Duval County, and operate under a state sanctioned contract with Duval County Public Schools. While publicly funded, DCPS does not oversee the daily operations and governance of charter schools. In 2024, 91% of traditional or boundary schools performed at the A, B, or C grade, while 78% of charter schools in Duval County scored an A, B, or C grade.

### School standings

[edit]

In 2015, Stanton College Preparatory School and Paxon School for Advanced Studies were named of the top 25 most challenging high schools in the United States.[14]

Newsweek also publishes a "Catching Up" list of 33 disadvantaged schools nationwide that challenge their students to participate in Advanced Placement programs which offer better instruction and a stimulating curriculum designed to improve academic skills and prepare for college. Because fewer than 10% of those sitting for the exams actually pass, the schools are excluded from the Best High Schools list. For 2010, six of the top 11 schools and twelve of the top 22 were located in Jacksonville: [15]

| 1. | Riverside

|

2. | Baldwin (in Baldwin, Florida)
8. | Wolfson
9. | Terry Parker
10. | A. Philip Randolph
11. | Ribault
| 12. | First Coast

|

15. | Ed White
18. | Peterson Academy of Technology
19. | Raines
20. | Westside
22. | Jackson

In 2007, the district instituted the Educators of Change program to identify future teachers among professionals and other individuals who have achieved success outside of the education field.

On August 23, 2010, Atlantic Coast High School opened for the 2010-2011 school year. It was the first new public high school built in the county since 1990 and cost $78 million. The school was constructed primarily to relieve overcrowding at the two largest high schools in Duval County, Sandalwood and Mandarin.[16]

#### Student enrollment

[edit]

128,702

Elementary - 56,668

Middle - 21,138

High - 30,455

Exceptional Schools - 1,441

Virtual School - 303

Alternative Schools -2,319

Charter Schools - 11,951

Graduation Rate: 78.8% [17]

#### Student ethnicity

[edit]

African American- 43%

Caucasian - 34%

Hispanic - 13%

Multiracial - 5%

Asian - 5%

American Indian/Alaskan Native - <1%[8]

## Controversies

[edit]

On April 13, 2013, it was reported that towards the end of 2012, a teacher at Cedar Hills Elementary School had students in a 4th grade class write notes stating, "I am willing to give up some of my constitutional rights in order to be safer or more secure." The students were then told to sign the notes. Aaron Harvey, a father of one of the students, found his child's note, written in crayon, and brought it to public attention.[18] In response, Nikolai Vitti, then the superintendent of Duval County Public Schools, stated "The Justice Teaching activity on constitutional rights that was conducted at Cedar Hills Elementary School is consistent with our efforts to broaden civics-based education and develop critical thinking skills among our students. The lesson builds awareness of First Amendment rights through a partnership with an association of local attorneys. Our possible concern rests with a follow-up activity that may have been conducted after the lesson."[19]

## Renaming

[edit]

Following a petition with 160,000 signatures, Nathan Bedford Forrest High School (1959), originally an all-white school named in protest against school desegregation, renamed Westside High School in 2014 after decades of controversy.[20][21][22]

* Robert E. Lee High School was changed to Riverside High School
* Joseph Finegan Elementary School was changed to Anchor Academy
* Stonewall Jackson Elementary School was changed to Hidden Oaks Elementary School
* J.E.B. Stuart Middle School was changed to Westside Middle School
* Kirby-Smith Middle School was changed to Springfield Middle School
* Jefferson Davis Middle School was changed to Charger Academy

## See also

[edit]

* Florida portal
* Schools portal

* List of schools in Duval County, Florida

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "About US" DCPS website
2. ^ "Annual Comprehensive Financial Report: For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023" (PDF). p. 15.
3. ^ "Duval County Public Schools / Homepage". dcps.duvalschools.org.
4. ^ "School Board". Duval County Public Schools. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
5. ^ Education, Florida Department of. "School Accountability Report". schoolgrades.fldoe.org. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
6. ^ a b "Duval County Public Schools Timeline of Major Events" (PDF). www.jaxcf.org.
7. ^ "School Board / Contact Board Office". dcps.duvalschools.org. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
8. ^ a b "FL Department of Education : View Report". fldoe.org. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
9. ^ "The Early Learning Coalition of Duval".
10. ^ "Access Denied" (PDF). www.duvalschools.org. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
11. ^ "DCPS RECEIVES MILLION DOLLAR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANT FUNDS TO SUPPORT SELECT ELEMENTARY STEM INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS AND EQUIPMENT".
12. ^ "School Choice/ Magnet / Duval Choice". www.duvalschools.org. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
13. ^ "Untitled Page". www.floridaschoolchoice.org. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
14. ^ Mathews, Jay (April 19, 2015). "America's Most Challenging High Schools national top 25 list for 2015". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
15. ^ Mathews, Jay: "America’s Best High Schools: The Catching-Up List" Newsweek, July 14, 2010
16. ^ Burmeister, Caren: “New boundaries, new school changes enrollment” Florida Times-Union, July 30, 2010
17. ^ "PK-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL DATA PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS". October 16, 2020.
18. ^ Brown, Stephanie (April 14, 2013). "Duval schools: "Possible concern" over 4th grade activity on giving up constitutional rights". WOKV.com. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
19. ^ Malloy, Sade (April 13, 2013). "Jacksonville parents concerned about son's First Amendment lesson". First Coast News. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
20. ^ "Florida high school at last breaks ties with Confederate past". Tampa Bay Times. December 17, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
21. ^ Strauss, Valerie (December 16, 2013). "School named after KKK grand wizard to be renamed — finally". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
22. ^ Pearson, Michael (December 17, 2013). "Florida school will drop Confederate Nathan B. Forrest's name". CNN. Retrieved February 22, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Duval County Public Schools Official Website
* School Board information

* v
* t
* e

Duval County Public Schools

High schools|

* Douglas Anderson
* Atlantic Coast
* Baldwin
* Darnell Cookman
* Englewood
* First Coast
* Fletcher
* Jackson
* Mandarin
* Terry Parker
* Paxon
* Peterson
* Raines
* Randolph
* Ribault
* Riverside
* Sandalwood
* Stanton
* Westside
* Ed White
* Wolfson

Middle schools|

* Arlington
* Baldwin
* Eugene Butler
* Darnell-Cookman
* Jefferson Davis
* Alfred I. DuPont
* Duncan Fletcher
* John E. Ford
* Fort Caroline
* Matthew Gilbert
* Highlands
* James Weldon Johnson
* Kernan
* Kirby Smith
* Lake Shore
* Landmark
* Julia Landon College Prep
* LaVilla School of the Arts
* Mandarin
* Mayport
* Northwestern
* Oceanway
* Paxon
* Jean Ribault
* Southside
* Joseph Stilwell
* J.E.B. Stuart
* Twin Lakes Academy

Elementary schools|

* Abess Park
* Alimacani
* Arlington
* Arlington Heights
* Atlantic Beach
* J. Allen Axson
* Bank of America Learning Academy
* Bartram Springs
* Bayview
* Beauclerc
* Biltmore
* Biscayne
* Brentwood
* Don Brewer
* Brookview
* Richard L. Brown
* George W. Carver
* Cedar Hills
* Central Riverside
* Chaffee Trail
* Chets Creek
* Chimney Lakes
* Crown Point
* Crystal Springs
* Lola M. Culver
* R. V. Daniels
* Dinsmore
* Englewood
* Enterprise Learning Academy
* Saint Clair Evans Academy
* Joseph Finegan
* Fishweir
* John E. Ford
* Fort Caroline
* Garden City
* Greenfield
* Greenland Pines
* Gregory Drive
* Hendricks Avenue
* Highlands
* Hogan-Spring Glen
* Holiday Hill
* Samuel A. Hull
* Hyde Grove
* Hyde Park
* Stonewall Jackson
* Jacksonville Beach
* Jacksonville Heights
* Thomas Jefferson
* Mamie Agnes Jones
* Justina Road
* Kernan Trail
* Martin Luther King
* Kings Trail
* Henry F. Kite
* Lake Forest
* Lake Lucina
* S. P. Livingston
* Lone Star
* Long Branch
* Loretto
* Love Grove
* John Love
* Mandarin Oaks
* Sallye B. Mathis
* Mayport
* Merrill Road
* Annie R. Morgan
* Neptune Beach
* New Berlin
* Normandy Village
* North Shore
* Norwood
* Oak Hill
* Oceanway
* Ortega
* Parkwood Heights
* Rufus E. Payne
* Rutledge H. Pearson
* Pickett
* Pine Estates
* Pine Forest
* Pinedale
* Ramona Boulevard
* Reynolds Lane
* Andrew A. Robinson
* Sabal Palm
* San Jose
* San Mateo
* San Pablo
* Seabreeze
* Louis Sheffield
* Southside Estates
* Spring Park
* John N. C. Stockton
* Sadie T. Tillis
* Timucuan
* Susie E. Tolbert
* Twin Lakes Academy
* Ruth N. Upson
* Venetia
* Wesconnett
* West Jacksonville
* West Riverside
* Whitehouse
* Windy Hill
* Woodland Acres
* Carter G. Woodson

Alternative schools|

* Grand Park Center
* Marine Science Education Center
* Mattie V. Rutherford Alternative Education Center

Exceptional student centers|

* Alden Road Exceptional Student Center
* Mt. Herman Exceptional Student Center
* Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center

Charter schools|

* Global Outreach Charter Academy
* School of Integrated Academics Tech
* SOS Academy - Middle
* SOS Academy - High
* Wayman Academy of the Arts
* Pathway Academy
* River City Science Academy

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