JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After nearly 11 months, the Duval County School Board will vote Tuesday evening on nine school names that are branded after controversial historical figures.
Superintendent Diana Greene recommended changing the names of six of the nine schools under consideration for renaming.
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According to the superintendent’s recommendations set to go before the School Board, Robert E. Lee High School’s name change would cost more than originally estimated -- around $366,000.
The middle schools -- including J.E.B. Stuart, Jefferson Davis and Kirby-Smith -- are now estimated to be cheaper to rename than originally quoted -- less than $150,000 each.
The elementary schools -- Joseph Finegan and Stonewall Jackson -- also come in under the original estimate. They’ll cost around $12,000 each.
Updated cost estimate of school name changes (Source: Duval County Public Schools)
| School | Updated cost estimate | Original cost estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Joseph Finegan Elementary | $12,000 | $32,000 |
| Stonewall Jackson Elementary | $12,000 | $32,000 |
| J.E.B. Stuart Middle | $143,307 | $287,000 |
| Jefferson Davis Middle | $143,307 | $287,000 |
| Kirby-Smith Middle | $148,307 | $287,000 |
| Robert E. Lee High | $366,302 | $287,000 |
| Andrew Jackson High | N/A | $287,000 |
| Jean Ribault High | N/A | $287,000 |
| Jean Ribault Middle | N/A | $287,000 |
| Total | $825,223 | $2,073,000 |
Jean Ribault Middle, Jean Ribault High and Andrew Jackson High schools were not given estimates because they were not recommended for renaming.
If the School Board approves Greene’s picks, the total cost of renaming the six schools would be around $825,000.
According to Greene’s recommendations, private donations would cover 76% of the cost, with the other 24% coming from sponsorship dollars through the school district’s beverage contract. An estimated $202,000 is what the district would plan to spend if the School Board approves Greene’s plan.
How would the cost of renaming be paid for?
| Funding sources | Amount |
|---|---|
| Private donations (76%) | $623,223 |
| Sponsorship funds from beverage agreement (24%) | $202,000 |
| Total cost of renaming recommended six schools (100%) | $825,223 |