Joint Meeting of Jacksonville City Council and Duval County School Board – April 9, 2026

This joint meeting, held on April 9, 2026, at 10:01 a.m., focused on collaboration between the city and school district on career and technical education, student safety, capital improvement projects, and the upcoming one-mill referendum. The meeting featured presentations from district and city staff, followed by discussions and updates from both bodies.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were heard; the meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m. without a public comment period.

Discussion Items

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Presentation

• Jill Farrelly, Director of CTE, presented an overview of Duval County Public Schools’ CTE programs, including a promotional video and data showing over 65% of academies at the master level, significant growth in industry certifications, and $13 million in workforce capitalization grants (the highest in Florida). She highlighted new programs such as emergency planning at Inglewood, automotive at Terry Parker, and maritime technology at First Coast High School, as well as a mobile elementary CTE bus funded by a state appropriation of $850,000.
• Councilmember Arias praised CTE for preparing students for entrepreneurship, not just careers. Councilmember Willie noted the importance of using the term “CTE” instead of “skill centers” to align with modern workforce language.
• Vice President Howland asked about recruiting companies to hire CTE graduates; Farrelly replied that annual employment fairs with JAX USA and Career Source are held, but accurate hiring metrics are hard to collect.
• Councilmember Arias inquired about financial literacy in CTE programs; Farrelly confirmed that business programs include entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and that cosmetology students recently received small business training from JAX Chamber.

Youth Empowerment Committee Update

• Council President Freeman reported that the special committee, led by past President Freeman, focuses on workforce development for ages 16–24 who are out of school and not in college or the military. An RFP is being finalized through the city’s Office of Grants and Community Initiatives (KHA), with awardees expected to be announced in June. The goal is to create sustainable partnerships between large and small organizations.

Be Safe, Be Seen – Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

• Dr. Heather Albert (DCPS Director of Health and PE) and Matt Fall (City Senior Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator) presented a joint update on the safety initiative. Key points:
  • A timeline from early 2024 incidents to the formation of a traffic safety committee and development of nine goals covering safety weeks, education, infrastructure, e-bike safety, and bus safety.
  • Traffic gardens have been installed at several schools, with more planned.
  • A study of crashes from 2020-2025 near schools found 175 crashes, 64 with injuries or fatalities, but only 4% occurred in active reduced-speed school zones, indicating those zones are effective.
  • The committee recommends adding middle schools to reduced-speed zone eligibility.
• Councilmember Boylan asked about e-bike and scooter education and ordinance development; Fall noted that e-bike classifications are key, and that the city is researching enforcement and parental responsibility. Councilmember Arias requested information on free bike repairs and helmet distribution; Fall explained that bike repairs are provided through a traveling trailer and helmets through partners like Wolfson’s Players.
• Councilmember Amaro asked if the campaign extends to charter schools; Albert confirmed that all health/PE teachers in charter schools are invited to trainings, but engagement is low due to differing professional development schedules.

Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Collaboration

• Nina Sickler, Public Works, reported on 14 funded school construction projects (12 traffic engineering, 2 other) to be completed by summer 2026, including speed tables, pedestrian crossings, and flashers. The city also requested funding for middle school reduced-speed zones (as a five-year rollout) and school flashers at Merrill Road and Hartsfield Road.
• Sickler noted that DCPS was included in the CIP kickoff meeting for the first time, thanks to legislation championed by Council Vice President Howland. However, no new school board project requests were presented because they were not yet “shovel-ready.”
• Council President Carrico clarified that additional projects can be added through the mayor’s budget or City Council Finance Committee process.
• School Board Member Bulduk thanked attendees and asked for the timeline for middle school zone implementation; Sickler said a priority list would be developed with DCPS input, subject to funding approval.
• School Board Member Blunt asked about planning for future growth near schools; Sickler said the city’s mobility plan update incorporates anticipated development.

Superintendent’s Update and One-Mill Referendum

• Dr. Christopher Bernier, Superintendent, reported that Duval County Schools earned an A grade for the first time (with 99% of schools A, B, or C), and a graduation rate of 97.6% in traditional high schools (94% overall). He emphasized teacher compensation and retention, noting that the one-mill referendum provides an average $8,600 supplement per teacher. He stated that teacher vacancies have dropped from 400 to 250, and retention is at 91%.
• Bernier explained that the school board approved a resolution to extend the one-mill property tax for another four years, which must be placed on the ballot by the City Council. The funds support teacher salaries, arts, and athletics. For a home valued at $225,000 with homestead exemption, the cost is about $17 per month, generating approximately $126 million annually.
• Council Vice President Howland asked about alternative funding; Bernier confirmed no other source exists after federal ESSER funds expired. Councilmember Clark Murray noted that the average teacher costs the district $80,000–$100,000 including benefits (40% added to salary).
• Councilmember Bulduk requested the percentage of the budget spent on salaries; Bernier replied approximately 85%.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken during the joint meeting.
• The city council was asked to prepare legislation to place the one-mill referendum on the November 2026 ballot, a step required by state law. The council’s general counsel confirmed the process: the school board will submit a formal request, the council will draft a bill setting the question, election date, and directing the Supervisor of Elections.
• The city and school district will continue collaborating on the Be Safe, Be Seen action plan, with a goal to refine the nine goals by May and approve a final plan in July.
• The 14 funded CIP projects are expected to be completed before the start of the next school year (August 2026).
• Future CIP coordination will include earlier engagement with DCPS, and the possibility of adding new projects via the mayor’s budget or council action was noted.