Featured image for “Eastside children open their hearts through podcasting”
Children at Richard Lewis Brown Academy smile as they get ready for a podcast session l William Jackson
February 14, 2024

Eastside children open their hearts through podcasting

A new podcast at Richard Lewis Brown Academy has given children a chance to express themselves to a wide audience…

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February 14, 2024

Should schools teach the history of communism?

Rep. Robert Charles Brannan III of Maccleny proposes that schools teach the history of communism in grades as low as…

Featured image for “Duval parents groups file no objections to textbooks”
The Duval County Public Schools administration building, with a bronze statue of children reading in front of it. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
February 5, 2024

Duval parents groups file no objections to textbooks

Moms for Liberty and the Public School Defenders both reviewed science and social studies textbooks approved by Duval County Public…

Featured image for “Graduation rates hit record highs across First Coast”
The late Mary Ella Sams, left, helps Akira Roberson put on her graduation gown on May 23, 2023. Roberson was among 7.052 Duval County Public Schools students who graduated in the 2022-23 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 24, 2024

Graduation rates hit record highs across First Coast

In Duval County, 87.2% of students graduated in the 2022-23 academic year, the highest percentage in a nonpandemic year.…

Featured image for “Duval Teacher of the Year drives students to grow”
Gustavo Guzman received the Duval County Teacher of the Year Award on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. | Jacksonville Public Education Fund.
January 22, 2024

Duval Teacher of the Year drives students to grow

Biology teacher Gustavo Guzman, the first college graduate in his family, was selected as the winner among 180 top educators.…

Featured image for “Spring Park and Englewood communities seek clarity on school renovations”
Englewood Elementary Principal Hope Tepper speaks with parents during a working group meeting Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, inside the media center at Spring Park Elementary. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 17, 2024

Spring Park and Englewood communities seek clarity on school renovations

Some parents remain concerned about the size of the rebuilt Englewood and Spring Park elementary schools as well as who…

Featured image for “Public gets a chance to review proposed Duval textbooks”
January 9, 2024

Public gets a chance to review proposed Duval textbooks

The School Board voted to buy new social studies and science textbooks, starting a 30-day review period for parents and…

Featured image for “New grades set baseline for schools; St. Johns ranks 2nd in Florida”
December 13, 2023

New grades set baseline for schools; St. Johns ranks 2nd in Florida

Though the two scores are not apples-to-apples comparisons, all five Northeast Florida school districts earned the same grade they had…

Featured image for “Shark research expedition launches from Mayport”
The Ocearch ship sits in Mayport ready for its departure. | Steven Ponson, WJCT News 89.9
November 27, 2023

Shark research expedition launches from Mayport

A team from Ocearch will study white sharks as they migrate to waters off the southeastern U.S. for the winter.…

Featured image for “Duval School Board suspends superintendent search”
Duval County School Board Chair Kelly Coker discusses the board's decision to suspend its superintendent search on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 18, 2023

Duval School Board suspends superintendent search

The School Board said it was disappointed that only 10 people applied for the position. The search will resume later.…

Featured image for “Introducing the applicants for Duval schools superintendent”
Duval County School Board member Darryl Willie reviews the qualifications for superintendent that the board will consider this fall. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 17, 2023

Introducing the applicants for Duval schools superintendent

Here’s a rundown on the 10 candidates for Duval County Schools superintendent. The School Board will consider them Wednesday.…

Featured image for “Duval’s next superintendent must help spell out literacy solutions”
Duval County third graders have reading proficiency scores below the statewide average and below Florida's six, large, urban school districts. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 4, 2023

Duval’s next superintendent must help spell out literacy solutions

In the most recent academic year, just 46% of Duval County third-graders were proficient at reading.…

Featured image for “William may need a form for his teacher to call him Bill”
A parent walks his child into orientation at R.V. Daniels Elementary School in Jacksonville on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 16, 2023

William may need a form for his teacher to call him Bill

A new Florida law requires a parent’s permission for students to use alternative names and pronouns. In some districts, that…

Featured image for “Jax nonprofits ensure students have the means to succeed”
Alethea Butler has worked with Jennifer Smith, right, at The Giving Closet Project this summer to ensure more children on Jacksonville's Northside have access to clothes that fit ahead of the 2023-24 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 11, 2023

Jax nonprofits ensure students have the means to succeed

A number of organizations are making sure students in poorer neighborhoods have the equipment and supplies they need to start…

Featured image for “1619 Project founder denounces Florida’s social studies standards”
Nikole Hannah-Jones is the founder of the 1619 Project and the founder of the Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 10, 2023

1619 Project founder denounces Florida’s social studies standards

As school starts this week in Northeast Florida, Nikole Hannah-Jones says students are getting a whitewashed version of African American…

Featured image for “Duval school district braces for 50% uptick in private school vouchers this year”
The Duval Schools administration building. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
August 6, 2023

Duval school district braces for 50% uptick in private school vouchers this year

Duval Schools loses state money for every student who drops out of district-run schools, putting a greater financial strain on…

Featured image for “Disagreement blows up between Democratic Reps. Daniels and Nixon”
State Rep. Kimberly Daniels (D-Jacksonville) accused fellow Democrat Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville) of defamation on July 27 after the two disagreed, to different degrees, with the Florida Department of Education's social studies standards for the 2023-24 academic year. | Will Brown
July 28, 2023

Disagreement blows up between Democratic Reps. Daniels and Nixon

Rep. Kimberly Daniels called a news conference to accuse Rep. Angie Nixon of defamation. Nixon called the discord “just pettiness.”…

Featured image for “OPINION | New African American history standards eschew context  ”
Richard Twine Collection
July 19, 2023

OPINION | New African American history standards eschew context  

The prevailing narrative of Florida’s new social studies standards, and in our country writ large, is that Black Americans are…

Featured image for “Duval Schools doesn’t know what to do with unapproved books”
Media specialists pulled dozens of boxes of old, outdated or objectionable library materials from Duval County school libraries this year.
June 4, 2023

Duval Schools doesn’t know what to do with unapproved books

Duval County Public Schools sent almost twice as many library books to its recycling plant this school year than it…

Featured image for “Superintendent Diana Greene ends trailblazing Duval career under scrutiny”
Duval County Superintendent Diana Greene reviews her notes during a May 2, 2023 emergency school board meeting where she announced her resignation. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 23, 2023

Superintendent Diana Greene ends trailblazing Duval career under scrutiny

The Duval superintendent’s tenure ends amid criticism from both the political left and right, but she also won bipartisan support…

Featured image for “Duval Schools face 20% vacancy in media specialists, the only staff who can approve books ”
Mandarin Middle School is one of 67 schools without a certified media specialist.
April 5, 2023

Duval Schools face 20% vacancy in media specialists, the only staff who can approve books 

School librarians are a rarity in Duval, and 1-in-5 of the few remaining positions are vacant as the district faces…

Featured image for “OPINION | Don’t close your eyes”
March 22, 2023

OPINION | Don’t close your eyes

College DEI programs provide safe space and solace for those of us looking for community in a dominant culture that’s…

Featured image for “Duval Schools book-review supervisor, who called gay characters ‘contrary to the design of humanity,’ is resigning”
Parents rallied ahead of a December school board meeting over the district's months long review of books from the Essential Voices classroom library collection.
March 8, 2023

Duval Schools book-review supervisor, who called gay characters ‘contrary to the design of humanity,’ is resigning

The supervisor’s departure comes as Duval Schools has received national scrutiny for its book review process.…

Featured image for “OPINION | The real life implications of erasing history”
February 15, 2023

OPINION | The real life implications of erasing history

What came home from school was a list of people, places, or things the students could portray. Out of two…