Jacksonville Today covers education from the classroom to the Capitol. Our reporters follow Duval Schools as well as private and higher education across the region. We explain school board decisions, funding debates, curriculum changes, and state education policies that affect students, parents, and teachers in Northeast Florida.
Featured image for “Duval Schools adding weapons-detection system at elementary schools”
The CEIA OPENGATE weapons detection system. | Duval County Public Schools
6 hours ago

Duval Schools adding weapons-detection system at elementary schools

The district will equip about 30 schools each year with the same weapons-detection systems installed at middle schools.…

Featured image for “City Year Jacksonville invests 100k service hours to support Duval students”
City Year Jacksonville says 56 student success coaches in its 2025-26 cohort devoted an estimated 100,000 service hours at Duval County Public Schools. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
1 day ago

City Year Jacksonville invests 100k service hours to support Duval students

City Year Jacksonville designed to cultivate communication skills, empathy and leadership within young adults by pairing them with Duval County…

Featured image for “Orange Park substitute teacher accused of possessing child sexual abuse material”
A judge with a gavel. | Adobe stock/Lightfield studios
1 day ago

Orange Park substitute teacher accused of possessing child sexual abuse material

Tyrone Julius Ferguson taught at elementary and middle schools and also was a youth basketball coach.…

Featured image for “City Council delays bill to put 1-mill school tax renewal on November ballot”
Jacksonville At-large Councilman Ron Salem, who sits on the Finance Committee. | Casmira Harrison, Jacksonville Today
2 days ago

City Council delays bill to put 1-mill school tax renewal on November ballot

The Finance Committee voted 4-3 to consider the 1-mill levy again in two weeks.…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Englewood High, among Duval’s most diverse, celebrates commencement”
Englewood High awarded 408 diplomas during its 69th Commencement on May 28 inside Jacksonville's VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 31, 2026

PHOTO ESSAY | Englewood High, among Duval’s most diverse, celebrates commencement

Englewood High awarded 408 diplomas during its 69th Commencement on May 28 inside Jacksonville’s VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.…

Featured image for “Culinary Institute eyes San Antonio as model for Jacksonville campus”
A rendering shows the $160 million hotel, convention center and office project proposed by Corner Lot and investment partner Aspect Holdings LLC on the Northbank of Downtown Jacksonville. | Jacksonville Daily Record
May 28, 2026

Culinary Institute eyes San Antonio as model for Jacksonville campus

City Council voted to endorse a future $35 million incentives deal for a riverfront high-rise anchored by the Culinary Institute.…

Featured image for “Flagler College tennis team takes home national championship trophy”
Flagler College's men's tennis team celebrates its national championship victory. | Flagler College
May 28, 2026

Flagler College tennis team takes home national championship trophy

The men’s tennis team claimed the Division II championship, its first national title since the 1980s.…

Featured image for “Records in Jacksonville teacher speech case tie school board member to complaint ”
Hope McMath outside the Duval Schools headquarters at a rally held Oct. 7, 2025. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
May 26, 2026

Records in Jacksonville teacher speech case tie school board member to complaint 

Hope McMath is asking the state to end its investigation of her social media speech, as state records tie the…

Featured image for “DeSantis comes to Ribault High to sign bills supporting high school coaches”
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas joined Gov. Ron DeSantis at a bill-signing event at Jean Ribault High School on Friday, May 22, 2026. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
May 22, 2026

DeSantis comes to Ribault High to sign bills supporting high school coaches

The bills will supplement coaches’ salaries and also allow coaches to spend their own money to help players.…

Featured image for “Former JROTC instructor accused of making students behave as dogs”
Sandalwood High School. | News4Jax
May 22, 2026

Former JROTC instructor accused of making students behave as dogs

Cail Morris Jr., a JROTC instructor at Sandalwood High School, was charged with child abuse.…

Featured image for “Former University of Alabama president selected as lone finalist to lead UF”
Stuart Bell speaks at a commencement ceremony at the University of Alabama, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He stepped down at Alabama shortly after and is the lone finalist for the University of Florida presidency.
May 19, 2026

Former University of Alabama president selected as lone finalist to lead UF

A search committee recommended Stuart Bell as UF president, after a decade in the position in Alabama.…

Featured image for “UNF lab will test the effects of extreme heat on athletes, military and workers”
Treadmills in the new Perry Weather Heat Lab, part of the Korey Stringer Institute. | University of North FloridaInstitute’s new UNF satellite location include these treadmills. | UNF
May 18, 2026

UNF lab will test the effects of extreme heat on athletes, military and workers

The new Perry Weather Heat Lab at UNF will test extreme weather health effects on people.…

Featured image for “Florida expands armed guardian program to colleges and universities”
Florida State University students wait for news amid an active shooter incident at the school’s campus April 17, 2025, in Tallahassee. | Kate Payne, AP
May 18, 2026

Florida expands armed guardian program to colleges and universities

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the armed guardian bill Friday, saying it would make colleges and universities safer.…

Featured image for “Raines High School could be rebuilt earlier than expected, school district says”
William M. Raines High School opened on Jan.y 25, 1965. It was named in honor of longtime local educator who was principal of segregated high schools before his death in 1950. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 15, 2026

Raines High School could be rebuilt earlier than expected, school district says

District officials have talked for years about the need to give Raines High School a new building.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville native Alex Monteagudo fathoms his bright college years”
Alex Monteagudo will graduate with a double degree in economics and political science from Yale on Monday, May 18, 2026. Monteagudo is a Jacksonville native who will become a naval submarine officer after graduation. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 13, 2026

Jacksonville native Alex Monteagudo fathoms his bright college years

Alex Monteagudo will earn a degree in economics and political science from Yale during its 325th Commencement on Monday.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville City Council member removed from classroom position”
Jacksonsville City Council member Tyrona Clark-Murray was removed from classroom duties in the Duval County Public Schools. | Campaign website for Tyrona Clark-Murray
May 8, 2026

Jacksonville City Council member removed from classroom position

Tyrona Clark-Murray was removed from a Duval Schools classroom during a human resources investigation.…

Featured image for “Duval high schools will start earlier and end later next year”
Students arrive to catch an early morning school bus, Oct. 9, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. | Eric Gay, AP
May 6, 2026

Duval high schools will start earlier and end later next year

Traditional high schools also will drop block scheduling and move to a seven-period daily schedule.…

Featured image for “Florida teachers union sues state, alleging school vouchers are unconstitutional”
May 6, 2026

Florida teachers union sues state, alleging school vouchers are unconstitutional

The lawsuit says vouchers create a disparity between traditional public schools and private schools.…

Featured image for “Florida law will now require students to learn cursive handwriting”
A cursive handwriting practice sheet. The Florida Legislature passed a bill that mandates cursive instruction for grades three through five. | Photo illustration by Kaley Mantz
May 4, 2026

Florida law will now require students to learn cursive handwriting

A new law requires cursive instruction for Florida students in grades three through five.…

Featured image for “Duval County school buses are now recording drivers who pass illegally”
Cameras on Duval County school buses will capture images of people passing illegally. | Nancy Guan, WUSF
May 1, 2026

Duval County school buses are now recording drivers who pass illegally

A total of 609 people got warnings for passing a school bus stop sign during a grace period in April.…

Featured image for “Suicide prevention program seeks $300K to continue in Northeast Florida”
A billboard alerts people to Talkable Communities' suicide prevention training in a six-county area. | Talkable Communities
April 30, 2026

Suicide prevention program seeks $300K to continue in Northeast Florida

Talkable Communities says it has lost state funding after training 12,000 people in suicide prevention.…

Featured image for “Construction starts on Hogan-Spring Glen Elementary School”
The original Hogan–Spring Glen Elementary School on Beach Boulevard. | Duval County Public Schools
April 28, 2026

Construction starts on Hogan-Spring Glen Elementary School

The new school, part of Duval County’s school consolidation plan, is scheduled to open in August 2027.…

Featured image for “State education commissioner berates St. Johns County superintendent”
The St. Johns County School District faces a budget shortfall that the superintendent blames partly on private school vouchers. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
April 24, 2026

State education commissioner berates St. Johns County superintendent

Superintendent Brennan Asplen was upbraided for criticizing Florida’s private school voucher program.…

Featured image for “Dozens of books removed from Duval Schools include ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ and Maya Angelou”
A statue of children reading in front of DCPS headquarters | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
April 23, 2026

Dozens of books removed from Duval Schools include ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ and Maya Angelou

The district continues to remove books from its shelves because of a long-running internal review.…