3 Jacksonville schools could close, become charter schools if bills become law

Three Duval County Public Schools could close and become charter schools next year if a bill that is moving through the House right now becomes law.

The bill is aimed at shifting chronically failing schools into what the bill calls “schools of hope.”

It could affect Ribault, Matthew Gilbert and Northwestern middle schools if they don’t receive a “C” grade or higher for the next school year. The district could be required to close the schools and select a charter school operator to take them over.

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The district's spokesperson said both the HB5103 and SB376 School Improvement Bills have the potential to negatively impact the traditional public school model for a number of reasons, including millions of dollars in lost revenue to traditional Duval County Public Schools. The bills provides direct funding opportunities to for-profit organizations.

But some lawmakers say it’s time to change the traditional public school model. There are 115 “D” or “F” schools across the state and some lawmakers say public schools have had too much time to turn them around.

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“It is reprehensible that you would take a child and make them stay in a failure factory not for one year, not for two years, not for three years, not for four years, but five years. That whole system has to end,” said State Rep. Richard Corcoran.

Duval County Public Schools said its own turn-around work is successful, with 10 out 11 lower-performing schools improving by a letter grade last school year.

Cox Media Group