Aug. 20, 2025 – Last week, Team Duval welcomed thousands of students back into the classroom for another dynamic school year. Below, we’re sharing some of the most important updates, changes, and reminders families will need to remember for the year ahead.
No Early Release Days – There will be no early release days this school year. Previously, early release days were used as a way to help facilitate professional development for staff. Now, school staff will be given several full “employee in-service” days to complete their professional development.
Changes to School Lunches – Families with children attending one of our 37 non-Community Eligibility Provision (non-CEP) schools will no longer receive free lunches unless they’re approved to receive assistance. Families can complete a Free and Reduced Price Meal application in English and Spanish. If you received a letter stating that your child is “Directly Certified through the Florida Direct Certification System,” no application is required.
All students will receive lunch at no cost for the first 30 operating days of school OR until a new meal eligibility determination is made — whichever comes first. For additional assistance, contact our Food Service team at FoodService@duvalschools.org.
Students Cannot Leave Campus for Lunch – As a safety precaution, students will not be allowed to leave school grounds at lunchtime. Students are also not allowed to have their lunch delivered to school by outside vendors (such as DoorDash). Parents and guardians may still have lunch with their children on campus.
Fighting Will Result in the Loss of Extracurricular Activities – According to our updated Code of Student Conduct, students who violate one of the district’s six fighting codes will now lose extracurricular activity privileges. The first fight will result in a 30-day loss of extracurricular activities and mandatory Student Options for Success (SOS) to regain privileges. A second fight will result in a 90-day loss of all privileges. A third fight will result in a recommendation to an alternative school setting.
New State Cell Phone Policy – The Code of Student Conduct has also been updated to reflect HB 1105, which prohibits PreK-8th grade students from using cell phones during the day for any reason. This builds on the district’s existing wireless device policy, which prohibits the use of wireless devices for all students during the school day. The key change is that PreK-8 teachers can no longer permit the use of devices during the day for any reason. Note that possession is not prohibited, only usage. The code of conduct has additionally been updated to include smart watches and devices with smart technology.
Text Alerts Added to Rooms Communications – New this year – when teachers send messages to parents via Rooms in Thrillshare, parents will now receive a text notification alerting them of that message. The number will come from 20819. Parents are advised to take note of the sending number and save it to their contacts.
Change to High School Dismissal Times – The school day for most district high school students will end 15 minutes earlier than last year's dismissal time. This adjustment is part of the previously announced schedule changes that are now in effect for middle and high schools.
Registration Required for Bus Transportation – As a reminder, students who wish to ride our school buses must register online. This is required for all bus riders – including students in self-contained ESE programs. Need help? Check out our How-To Bus Registration Videos in English and Spanish. To review our step-by-step instructions, visit http://www.duvalschools.org/busregistration.
Bus stop information for students who have registered and are eligible for transportation can be found in Focus. To view bus stop information, follow these steps: log into your Focus account, select your child’s name, select “Child Info,” then select “Transportation” from the list.
Finally, parents can track their child’s school bus by downloading the Edulog app. This app replaces our bus delay webpage and allows parents to monitor their child’s bus in real time. Only families of registered bus riders with a linked parent account will be able to access this app.