This
school year we are focused on
improving the academic achievement for all our students.
Our
graduation rate has risen more than seven percentage
points in the last 10 years. Additionally, our most
recent FCAT scores showed that more than two-thirds of
our schools earned
good or excellent grades. These gains in achievement
can be attributed to the hard work of our students,
teachers, principals, district support staff and
community members, and I expect that we will see even
greater improvements this year.
While there are many wonderful activities and
achievements for us to celebrate and look forward to as
we begin the new school year, there are also challenges.
Our biggest challenge is our
budget, which faced a shortfall of $44 million this
year, coupled with a $70 million dollar shortfall in
2008.
Budget reduction strategies already implemented
include an 11% reduction in district staff, the closing
of a school, and changes in transportation and the
secondary schedule. It is our priority to ensure that we
have as minimal an impact on the classroom as possible,
and will continue to work with our
School Board to ensure that our students have the
ability to graduate from high school ready for
post-secondary education or the world of work.
With our district operating on a minimized budget,
your continued support will be more important than ever.
Education is a joint venture. We must work together to
enable our students to thrive and achieve at their
highest levels.
Thank you for your continued support of Duval County
Public Schools. Have a wonderful school year!
