Duval Schools Launch Campaign for 1-Mill Renewal on November Ballot

Duval County Public Schools has launched a new website and public campaign urging voters to renew the one-mill property tax referendum that has funded teacher salary supplements since 2022. The millage, which faces renewal on the Nov. 3 ballot, has delivered an average of $8,668 in additional annual pay to teachers and funded support for arts and athletic programs across the county's public schools.

The district says teacher retention has improved and vacancy rates have fallen since the millage took effect, while the county school system has climbed to an 'A' rating from the state for two consecutive years. Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier and district officials are now asking Duval voters to continue the additional funding for another four years.

What the millage does

Approved by Duval County voters in 2022, the one-mill referendum added one mill — equivalent to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value — to property tax bills to address a national teacher shortage that was leaving classrooms understaffed. A mill is a unit of property-tax rate; one mill generates approximately $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed, taxable property value.

In the 2025-26 school year, teacher salary supplements funded by the millage averaged $8,668 per teacher, according to the district. The majority of the district's share of millage revenue supports compensation for teachers, school police officers, and other employees. Approximately 12 percent of the funds support student programming, including arts and athletics.

Since the millage was approved, teacher retention has increased and the district's teacher vacancy rate has declined from 6. 5 percent to 4. 4 percent, according to figures published on the district's new website at www. duvalschools. org/vote. The site provides voters with ballot language, frequently asked questions, details on how millage funds are used, and video testimonials from teachers such as third-grade educator Lindzee McClure.

"It felt great that the community believed in us," McClure said in a video featured on the site. "We felt valued. We're not in there worrying about how we're going to pay our bills. We're in there worrying about the kids. That's our job. That's what we want to do. "

The district has also posted academic achievement data alongside the millage information. Duval County Public Schools is now entering its second year with an 'A' rating from the Florida Department of Education, and the district reported a graduation rate of 97. 6 percent — a historic high. More than 98 percent of district schools are rated 'A,' 'B,' or 'C' under the state accountability system.

What renewal means for property owners

If voters choose to renew the millage on Nov. 3, property owners in Duval County will continue to see the one-mill charge on their annual tax bills. The amount each household pays depends on the taxable value of the property after exemptions such as the homestead exemption are applied.

For a homeowner with a property assessed at $300,000 and claiming the standard $50,000 homestead exemption, the taxable value would be $250,000. A one-mill levy on that amount equals $250 per year. A property assessed at $400,000 with the same exemption would pay $350 annually. Commercial and investment properties, which typically do not qualify for homestead exemptions, pay the full millage on their assessed values.

Property tax millage renewals in Florida require voter approval. The original four-year term approved in 2022 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year unless voters extend it. If the referendum fails, the additional one mill would drop from tax bills and the district would lose the supplemental revenue stream for teacher pay and programming.

The district has framed the renewal as a continuation rather than a new tax, emphasizing that homeowners have been paying the rate since 2022 and that the funds have delivered measurable results in staffing and student outcomes. Under Florida law, school districts may levy operating millage only within caps set by the state unless voters approve additional mills through referendum.

Why teacher pay matters to the local economy

Teacher compensation has direct implications for Jacksonville's competitiveness in attracting and retaining educators, particularly as surrounding counties and other Florida districts compete for the same talent pool. Before the 2022 referendum, Duval County faced persistent vacancies that forced schools to rely on substitute teachers, unfilled positions, and larger class sizes — outcomes that research consistently links to weaker student performance.

Higher salaries help districts recruit new teachers from universities and draw experienced educators from other regions. Retention is equally important: replacing a teacher who leaves mid-year or at the end of a school year imposes costs in recruitment, onboarding, and lost instructional continuity. The district's reported decline in vacancy rates suggests the millage has helped stabilize staffing levels.

For families evaluating where to live in Northeast Florida, school quality is a major factor in home-purchase decisions. Districts with stable teaching staffs, strong test scores, and high graduation rates tend to see sustained demand for housing in their attendance zones, which can support property values. St. Johns County, which consistently ranks among Florida's top-performing school systems, has long been a draw for families willing to pay premium prices for homes in its school zones.

Duval's recent climb to an 'A' rating — a designation it earned for the first time in years — positions the county as a more competitive option for families who might otherwise look to St. Johns or Clay counties. Maintaining that rating likely depends in part on keeping classrooms staffed with experienced teachers, which is the core function the millage was designed to support.

The millage also funds school police officers, a staffing category that has grown in importance to parents following high-profile school safety incidents across the country. Florida law requires each public school to have either a school resource officer or a school guardian; districts that cannot fill those positions face compliance challenges and heightened liability concerns.

Impact on arts, athletics, and extracurriculars

Beyond teacher pay, approximately 12 percent of the district's millage revenue supports arts and athletic programs. These programs are often among the first to face cuts when districts tighten budgets, yet they play an outsize role in student engagement, college applications, and community identity.

High school athletic programs generate revenue through ticket sales and booster donations, but they also require significant upfront investment in coaching salaries, equipment, field maintenance, and transportation. Arts programs — including band, orchestra, theater, and visual arts — typically have smaller budgets but depend heavily on dedicated staff and consistent funding for instruments, materials, and competition travel.

For students, participation in extracurriculars correlates with higher graduation rates, stronger college-admission outcomes, and improved attendance. For neighborhoods, Friday-night football games and spring band concerts serve as social anchors that bring families together and reinforce school pride. The millage funds help ensure those programs remain viable even as districts face pressure to direct dollars toward core academic instruction and testing.

In Jacksonville's urban core and lower-income neighborhoods, school-based arts and sports programs may be the only organized activities accessible to students whose families cannot afford private lessons, club teams, or travel leagues. Stable funding for those programs can narrow opportunity gaps and keep students engaged in school.

What happens next

The one-mill referendum will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot for all registered voters in Duval County. Early voting dates and polling locations will be announced by the Duval County Supervisor of Elections closer to the election. Voters will see ballot language asking whether to renew the existing one-mill levy for an additional term; the district's new website provides the full text of the ballot question.

Duval County Public Schools cannot legally use public funds to advocate for a yes or no vote, but the district may provide factual information to help voters understand what the millage does and how the money has been spent. The new website at www. duvalschools. org/vote serves that informational purpose, offering budget breakdowns, teacher testimonials, and answers to frequently asked questions.

If the referendum passes, the millage will remain in place for another term, and the district will continue collecting the additional revenue and distributing salary supplements and program funding. If it fails, the district would need to absorb the loss of that revenue — likely resulting in pay cuts for teachers, increased vacancies, and reductions in arts and athletic budgets. District officials have not publicly outlined a contingency plan for a failed referendum.

Voters can track the election timeline, verify their registration status, and request mail ballots through the Duval County Supervisor of Elections website. Public forums and informational sessions about the millage are expected in the weeks leading up to the vote, though specific dates have not yet been announced by the district.

The November ballot will test whether Duval County voters see continued value in the investment they made four years ago. For a school district that has climbed to an 'A' rating and posted record graduation rates, the stakes are whether those gains can be sustained — or whether budget pressures will force the county back into the staffing struggles that defined the years before the millage took effect. The outcome will shape not only classroom conditions but also Jacksonville's ability to compete with its faster-growing neighbors for families, talent, and economic investment in the years ahead.