June 25, 2019 - In 2009 and 2010, the State of Florida cut the funding school districts received for renovation, maintenance and new building construction.
Because Duval has the oldest schools of any large school district in the state, the impact of these cuts has been severe. The district has not been able to build a new school since 2010.
Almost 500 portables are spread around the district to manage school crowding. Only the most urgent facility problems, such as safety systems and air conditioning failure, can be fixed. This has led to extensive backlogs of maintenance and repair needs.
In this video, teachers speak of the effects of this on learning. A half-cent sales tax would enable the district to clear the backlog of maintenance issues and eliminate most, if not all, portables in the district.
For more information, visit https://www.ourduvalschools.org.