JPEF is committed to informing you about key education issues at the local, state, and federal levels. We know that closing the opportunity gap requires collective action, led by community members and organizations who put children first, so you’ll find opportunities here to engage with decision-makers.
2024 Legislative Session
During the Legislative Session, JPEF tracks several bills impacting education. We provide these write ups for informational purposes and encourage residents to contact their legislators to express their opinions on legislation. The State of Florida provides guidance on effectively communicating with legislators.
Legislative Process 101
How does an idea become state law? Understanding the legislative process is important to advocacy. Throughout the process, there are opportunities to make your voice heard and knowing when and to whom to speak to are key. JPEF provides a brief overview of the process.
Contact Elected Officials
JPEF encourages residents to be a part of the democratic process by following the issues and staying in touch with your legislators.
Find out how to contact your elected officials here.
Advocacy Nights
JPEF encourages residents to be a part of the democratic process by following the issues and staying in touch with your legislators. We hold Advocacy Nights every quarter and hope you will be involved.
One mill property tax referendum
On Aug. 23, 2022 Duval County voters showed their support for Duval teachers and students by passing the one mill property tax referendum, becoming the 21st Florida district to pass the one mill tax for education. The additional property tax will allow the district to provide teachers, particularly veteran teachers, with additional compensation and upgrade equipment and uniforms in the arts as well as fields, bleachers, and playgrounds in athletics. Charter schools will get a proportionate share based upon enrollment, as required by the state. Twenty other Florida school districts had already approved the one mill for education.
For over a decade, JPEF's research has shown that compensation is one of the key factors in recruiting and retaining teachers. Voter approval of the referendum is a big step in addressing that issue.
In a 2021 report, JPEF looked at the teacher retention rate for Duval County. While DCPS had an 84% retention rate, JPEF found the rate to be closer to 75% due to inter-district transfers. Each teacher that permanently leaves DCPS costs the district about $11,000 in hiring and training to replace, and for the 2018-19 Academic Year, the cost of all teacher turnover was approximately $12 million. Beyond financial costs, teacher attrition can create inequities for students most in need of support and exacerbate gaps in opportunity these students already experience. Study findings indicate that teacher attrition does not affect all Duval schools equally. Schools serving larger proportions of students from low-income backgrounds and students of color are more likely to experience teacher turnover. The study also found the teacher workforce in Duval County Public Schools is less diverse than the student body.
JPEF’s prior research on teacher retention has shown that compensation is the primary factor for teachers’ decisions to stay or leave the profession.
Sales tax oversight
The Jacksonville Public Education Fund is proud to serve on the citizen oversight committee monitoring the use of funds from the half-cent sales tax for schools. Duval County Public Schools has a facilities plan dashboard available for the public to view here. JPEF supported the half-penny for schools, which voters approved with 67 percent of the vote in November 2020. Read JPEF's 2019 position statement on the half-penny for schools.
School Renaming
The Jacksonville Public Education Fund supported the renaming of six schools named for Confederate officers in 2020-2021. Read JPEF's 2021 position statement on school renaming. You can contribute to the School Renaming Fund here.
Community Engagement in School Board Elections
Each School Board Election cycle, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund publishes candidate questionnaires and hosts candidate forums to better inform voters about these often overlooked races. As a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, JPEF does not endorse candidates. Rather, we work to inform the community about the candidates and their positions so they can make a more informed choice.