DCPS ahead of schedule on revenue collected from half-cent sales tax

District says upgrades nearly complete at 42 schools, another 46 to get improvements in 2nd year of plan

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Every Duval County school is getting safety and security upgrades as part of the district’s 15-year facility plan.

The committee overseeing Duval County’s half-cent sales tax for school improvement said in its first annual report it’s already ahead of schedule for how much revenue has been collected.

So far, DCPS has received almost $122 million in revenue from this sales tax with almost $19 million of that going to charter schools.

The money is specifically earmarked for new school construction, backlogged maintenance projects and security upgrades -- with each school’s to-do list spelled out in an online dashboard.

The safety training in the Mandarin area being conducted Wednesday by Duval County School Police is a part of this project’s first phase.

Crown Point Elementary is one of 42 schools whose upgrades are almost done and are expected to be completed before the first day of school.

DCPS has not specified the exact improvements for the schools on the list, but different projects could include:

  • Lighting improvements for better visibility on campuses
  • Adding identification-controlled door access systems
  • Removing trees or shrubbery to increase visibility
  • Installing door-locking hardware upgrades
  • Applying extra layers of window film for security

Forty-six other schools are set to get their individual improvements in this second year of the plan.

In addition to safety and security projects, money from the half-cent sales tax will go toward rebuilding schools and renovating others.


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