Featured image for “Teacher loses license after conviction for Disney exposure”
The Orange County Courthouse. | Google via Central Florida Public Media
June 27, 2025

Teacher loses license after conviction for Disney exposure

Christopher Allen-Black will serve 12 months’ probation for exposing himself at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville NAACP hears outlook on academic funding”
Johna Daniels, grants and project officer for the Early Learning Coalition of Duval, says federal funding cuts will have an effect on the organization. The coalition serves nearly 17,000 children from low-income families in Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 25, 2025

Jacksonville NAACP hears outlook on academic funding

The local NAACP and Upsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity hosted a town hall on education.…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville schools mark closures with smiles amid somber celebrations”
Vin'Tavia Gaines, right, reads the fifth grade address during a promotion ceremony at Susie Tolbert Elementary on Friday, May 23, 2025. She is joined by classmate Danielle Fenner. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 29, 2025

PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville schools mark closures with smiles amid somber celebrations

Jacksonville Today captured the final gatherings at five Duval County elementary schools that will close or consolidate after the 2025…

Featured image for “Jax library board nominee Elizabeth Andersen voted down”
Library board nominee Elizabeth Andersen, who's the CEO of Jacksonville nonprofit OneJax, seen here during its 2025 Humanitarian Awards ceremony on May 1, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 27, 2025

Jax library board nominee Elizabeth Andersen voted down

Andersen, the former Duval School Board chair, couldn’t shake a years-old controversy over comments she made about Moms for Liberty…

Featured image for “Some Duval students will have to start paying for lunch”
In a file photo, a student puts apple slices on his tray during lunch at Central high School in St. Paul, Minnesota. | Jim Mone, AP
May 21, 2025

Some Duval students will have to start paying for lunch

About a quarter of Jacksonville’s schools will lose a COVID-era free-lunch benefit in September.…

Featured image for “Teacher and his 1-year-old son killed while crossing road”
Mitchell Patch and his 1-year-old son Everett were killed while crossing Baymeadows Road on Friday, May 16, 2025. | GoFundMe via News4Jax
May 19, 2025

Teacher and his 1-year-old son killed while crossing road

Mitchell Patch, a math teacher at Bayview Elementary School, was killed trying to cross Baymeadows Road.…

Featured image for “How one nonprofit helps Jacksonville scholars thrive”
Vivianna Rivera, left, and Netsury Lominy are two members of the Thrive Scholars Jacksonville high school class of 2025. The two announced their intentions to attend the University of Central Florida and the University of North Florida, respectively, during a celebration Tuesday, May 13, 2025, inside the Jessie Ball duPont Center. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 15, 2025

How one nonprofit helps Jacksonville scholars thrive

Thrive Scholars Jacksonville helps students from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds prepare for undergraduate life.…

Featured image for “Duval school police officer accused of domestic battery”
A Duval Schools police officer was arrested. | Duval County Public Schools
May 13, 2025

Duval school police officer accused of domestic battery

Kevens Louis was charged with domestic battery by strangulation and false imprisonment.…

Featured image for “Westside High students get early jump on medical careers”
Vivian Soto received her Certified Nursing Assistant pin during a ceremony Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Ascension St. Vincent Riverside. Soto says she plans to become a traveling nurse. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 8, 2025

Westside High students get early jump on medical careers

Students in the school’s medical magnet program will receive both diplomas and certifcation as nursing assistants.…

Featured image for “Thieves swipe football gear from Terry Parker High”
Thieves broke into the athletic field house and softball rooms at Terry Parker High School. | Cyd Hoskinson
April 29, 2025

Thieves swipe football gear from Terry Parker High

Thieves stole helmets, cleats, flat-screen TVs and more from Terry Parker High School’s football field house.…

Featured image for “4 Duval teachers honored for career excellence”
Nicola Gibson, and English Language Arts educator at Annie R. Morgan Elementary, is one of four Duval County educators who received the 2025 Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 15, 2025

4 Duval teachers honored for career excellence

The teachers were surprised Tuesday with the Gladys Prior Award for Career Teaching Excellence.…

Featured image for “City launches kids’ Minecraft challenge to help plan Jacksonville’s riverfront”
James Weldon Johnson Park has been digitized as part of a "New Jax City" world that was created in Minecraft Education to spur Jacksonville students to learn about coding and urban planning. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 14, 2025

City launches kids’ Minecraft challenge to help plan Jacksonville’s riverfront

The three-week New Jax City challenge invites second-graders through college sophomores to design Jacksonville’s riverfront in Minecraft.…

Featured image for “School districts beg Florida lawmakers not to slash bonuses for accelerated students”
April 9, 2025

School districts beg Florida lawmakers not to slash bonuses for accelerated students

Florida’s education funding could cost local districts millions if incentives for accelerated programs are reduced.…

Featured image for “Duval School Board removes district’s first challenged book, ‘Identical’”
Duval School Board member Tony Ricardo is one of the six who voted to remove the book Identical. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
April 2, 2025

Duval School Board removes district’s first challenged book, ‘Identical’

With a 6-1 vote, the Duval County School Board voted to permanently remove a book called Identical from its libraries.…

Featured image for “Father of Atlantic Coast High student settles lawsuit against Duval Schools after she died from allergic reaction”
A wrongful death lawsuit claims Kayleen Brown died after DCPS “negligently” failed to warn the food provided at a school meeting contained nuts, failed to educate staff on food allergen procedures, and failed to follow its own food allergy management and prevention plan. | News4JAX
March 13, 2025

Father of Atlantic Coast High student settles lawsuit against Duval Schools after she died from allergic reaction

The father of a high school student who died in 2023 after suffering a nut-related allergic reaction at a school…

Featured image for “Teacher-student communication, parent volunteer policies could change in Duval”
February 27, 2025

Teacher-student communication, parent volunteer policies could change in Duval

Duval County’s school board will vote soon on how employees can communicate with students and whether some volunteers need additional…

Featured image for “Court sides with Duval teacher over Facebook posts”
February 24, 2025

Court sides with Duval teacher over Facebook posts

The appellate court overturned the suspension of Sandalwood High School teacher Thomas Caggiano.…

Featured image for “What the Duval School Board’s travel spat says about shifting politics”
Duval school Board members Charlotte Joyce, April Carney, and Darryl Willie debate travel on Feb. 4, 2025. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
February 9, 2025

What the Duval School Board’s travel spat says about shifting politics

The Duval School Board voted against sending a member to serve in a leadership role with a group others perceive…

Featured image for “Duval school officials respond to fears over federal immigration rules”
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. | Alex Brandon, AP
February 5, 2025

Duval school officials respond to fears over federal immigration rules

ICE agents have not come to local schools, but local officials are thinking about how to respond.…

Featured image for “Duval Schools town halls tackle district budget woes; last town hall is Thursday”
Superintendent Chris Bernier hosts a town hall at duPont Middle School on Jan. 23, 2025. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
January 28, 2025

Duval Schools town halls tackle district budget woes; last town hall is Thursday

Budget cuts could affect busing, class schedules, and more in Duval County public schools.…

Featured image for “School start times up in the air in Duval County”
January 16, 2025

School start times up in the air in Duval County

A new state law requires later starting times — a requirement that could upend the schedules for tnes of thousands…

Featured image for “NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Duval class sizes”
January 10, 2025

NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Duval class sizes

Here’s a look at how class sizes in Duval County have changed since a constitutional amendment limited them.…

Featured image for “Duval students earned diplomas at record rate in 2024”
Courtney Brown is a senior flag football player at Stanton College Prep who was named 'most athletic' by her peers in the senior class. She plays flag football and soccer for the Blue Devils. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 10, 2025

Duval students earned diplomas at record rate in 2024

Duval County Public Schools saw its graduation rate spike to a record high of 90.9% last year.…

Featured image for “Duval School Board approves $365K settlement in latest Douglas Anderson lawsuit”
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts on Jan. 7, 2025 | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
January 7, 2025

Duval School Board approves $365K settlement in latest Douglas Anderson lawsuit

The latest lawsuit brings the district’s spend on Douglas Anderson settlements to nearly $2 million.…