News

The Legacy of Segregation in Schools

When we think about education, we often picture schools as the great equalizer—a place where every child has the same chance to succeed. But a closer look reveals a more complicated story, especially in the South, where the echoes of segregation still shape the landscape of public and private education.

2025 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year Semifinalists Announced

The 15 semifinalists for the 2025 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year have been selected. The selection committee made up of a diverse cross-section of the community, selected the semifinalists from nearly 180 school-level Teachers of the Year. The 15 will be narrowed down to five semifinalists in December and the 2025 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year will be announced at the EDDY Awards on Jan. 18 at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.

Three additional schools are set to close in 2026

School Board votes to close 3 schools in 2025-2026 school year

The Duval County School Board voted to close three schools in 2025 as part of a consolidation plan that will include three more schools the following year. More schools are likely to be consolidated as the board looks to reduce costs.

Applications Open for Parents Who Lead

Parents and caregivers interested in becoming better advocates for their children are invited to apply for Parents Who Lead, a 20-week program of Duval County Public Schools, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund and Kids Hope Alliance. 

Teachers nominated for VyStar 2025 Duval County Teacher of the Year

The search for the 2025 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year has begun! Principals from nearly 180 Duval County schools nominated a teacher to be named the Teacher of the Year for Duval County. The 2025 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year will be announced at the EDDY Awards, presented by the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF), Saturday, January 18, 2025. 

From School Supplies to Community Connection: How One Church’s Simple Gesture Sparked Lasting Support for Local Educators

It all started with donation of school supplies in 2022. The parishioners of The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Riverside wanted to bring back a sense of community connection and support by helping our local elementary school as we made our way out of COVID-era restrictions. So, we started with one simple gesture each fall of donating school supplies.

Cindy Edelman Excellence in Teaching Fellows apply lessons from Finland to classrooms

Visit to Finland schools highlights importance of play in learning

Teachers invited to complete Intent to Apply form for Cindy Edelman Excellence in Teaching Fellowship

The Cindy Edelman Excellence in Teaching Fellowship is open for Duval County public school teachers who want to pursue a professional learning experience of their own design.  Eligible teachers, either individually or as a team, are encouraged to submit their intent to apply forms by Oct. 15, 2024.

On the Origin and Influences of Artificial Intelligence

Open AI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and Microsoft’s Copilot burst onto the web early in 2023, the culmination of computer science’s goal of creating intelligence from silicon chips and electricity. As the initial fervor of “talking” to the computer to reasonably accurate Large Language Models wore down, experts warned of the accelerating time table of losing control of these machines and how wary we should be. Educators immediately saw both concern and promise in these new-fangled tools. This blog will briefly address the history of EdTech and the future of AI tools in education as well as possible impacts on the economy.