Frequently Asked Questions as of April 25, 2022

Why is the school board asking voters to approve a 1 mill increase in ad valorem taxes?

The national teacher shortage and an alarming increase in teacher resignations and
retirements have created more than 400 unfilled teacher positions. Experienced, successful
teachers earn salaries only slightly larger than first-year teachers. Because of this, many teachers
are moving on to higher paying, less stressful careers. The 1 mill increase is primarily designed
to retain experienced teachers, compensate other staff (such as security personnel and
maintenance workers) and meet other operational needs, particularly in art, music and athletics.
Voter approval is needed to increase funding.

Didn’t the Governor and Legislature just give teachers a big raise?

Yes, in 2021 the state increased the minimum starting teacher salary to $47,500.
However, experienced teachers only received small raises, and many found themselves making
the same or slightly more than starting teachers, creating a great disparity. In 2022 the
Legislature added $800 million in salary adjustments for instructional personnel. Once again,
much of that funding is earmarked for new teachers. The amount that can go to experienced
teachers is small, especially when divided among all teachers in the state. And since all districts
receive money, Duval will remain last among the 7 urban districts in teacher salaries. The
referendum is designed to make Duval more competitive and these increases have no impact on
that. Most of the funding for 2022 will be used to maintain the increase implemented to raise the
beginning teacher salary from $39,500 to $47,500.

You just passed a half-penny sales tax bringing in more than $1 billion over 15 years. Isn’t
that enough?

To be clear, the half-penny sales tax can only be used for facility repairs, security
upgrades, renovations and the building of new schools.  It cannot be used for operating dollars,
which are mostly allocated for teacher salaries.

Why can’t the half-penny sales tax revenue be used to pay for arts and athletics upgrades?

The half-penny sales tax focuses on the most pressing facility and security needs of the
district. When the district looked at the priorities for school buildings, the emphasis was on
learning and academic needs. Many important priorities didn’t make the budget. Arts and
athletics do not have a distinct funding source and that is why it’s included in the 1 mill spending
plan.
How will the money be spent?

The incoming funds will be spent this way:

• 75% goes to teachers and support staff
• 12.5% goes to arts and athletics
• 12.5% goes to charter schools (as required by state law)

Why not wait for the general election in November to put it on the ballot instead of the
primary election in August?

Three reasons. First, we are losing teachers to resignations and early retirements right
now, so the sooner they know about their future salaries the sooner we can impact the flood of
exits. Second, the sooner we know the outcome, the sooner we can go through the union
negotiations and budgeting processes with a clear understanding of the dollars we anticipate
coming in. Finally, the general election in November will be a very long ballot highlighted by the
Governor’s race. Our low-budget school referendum information effort may get lost in all of that
media attention. As a result, we feel it’s best to place it on the August ballot so the public hears
all of the relevant information.

Where does Duval County rank in teacher salaries?

According to a state report, Duval is ranked 40th out of 69 school districts in Florida with
an average teacher salary of $47,458 a year. Duval ranks last among the 7 large urban districts.

What is the impact of losing experienced teachers on students?

After parents, the number one determinant of a student’s success is having an outstanding
teacher. The percentage of teachers rated as “highly effective” increases as the years of
experience goes up. In other words, the more experienced the teacher, the more effective they are
in the classroom on average. Therefore, the loss of experienced teachers has a big impact on
student success.

How much money will the 1 mill bring into the district and for how long?

It is estimated to bring in about $82 million a year. The increase will sunset in four years
unless renewed by voters.

How much will it cost the taxpayers?

Only property owners pay the tax. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed
value, minus the homestead exemption. For example, a home with a value of $225,000 with a
$25,000 homestead exemption will pay $200 more per year, or about $17 a month.

Why do you need more money for paraprofessionals?

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 Paraprofessionals (also known as teacher aides) are a critical source of support for
students and teachers. The current rate of pay is $15 an hour. By comparison, customer service
reps, delivery drivers, cashiers and warehouse workers in other industries can easily earn
between $16 and $20 an hour.

Wouldn’t it be better to pay for a salary increase out of the annual operating budget than
paying supplements and depending on voters renewing it? 

Yes, it would.  We wish there was enough funding in the operational allocation to
provide these salary increases.  But it’s just not there, so the only option is to go to voters.
Teachers, paraprofessionals and other staff will receive an increase in pay through supplements
rather than a salary adjustment so it must be renewed every four years to keep it.

Why isn’t there enough money to pay out of operations budget?

Because the state has mandated a steady decline in the Required Local Millage rate each
year from 5.346 in 2010 to 3.56 today. Even if the 1 mill passes, the rate will still be lower than
the 2010 level. The decrease in millage rate hurts the district’s ability to keep up with increased
costs and provide competitive compensation for teachers and support personnel.

How many other districts have proposed and passed similar measures?

Voters in 20 school districts in Florida have approved similar millage increases, creating
a competitive advantage for those communities and their students.

Will any of this money go to pay board members or senior district administrators?

No. Board members, the superintendent, and cabinet-level executive administrators are
excluded from any compensation increases from this one mill referendum.

Are charter schools getting a share of this money?

Florida law requires the district to give charter schools a proportionate share of additional
millage dollars based upon student enrollment.

Isn’t this a bad time to ask for a tax increase with inflation, pandemic and rising property
values already causing higher costs? 

There’s never a really good time. The decision is based upon critical needs, and teachers
are dealing with inflation just like everyone else. The district, like many industries, is facing staff
shortages.  We are losing teachers for a variety of reasons, and we currently have almost 400
teacher vacancies. We believe the needs of our students and teachers should be our first
consideration.

Why are other professions interested in hiring teachers?

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 According to the Wall Street Journal, teachers have attractive skills for other professions,
such as the ability to absorb and transmit information and communicate clearly. Since the
corporate world needs additional staff, they are actively recruiting teachers with higher pay,
signing bonuses, and other work-related incentives such as flexible work hours and settings.

Is this referendum for recruiting new teachers or rewarding veteran teachers?

Both. Duval County must remain competitive in pay to recruit and retain qualified
teachers. Many highly effective teachers with more than a decade of classroom experience found
themselves making the same or slightly more than first-year teachers right out of college. Since
Duval County ranks last in teacher compensation among the 7 large Florida districts, the 1 mill
tax is needed to be competitive, recruit and keep veteran teachers, and fill vacancies.

Why should property owners who do not have children in Duval County Schools agree to
pay more?

Public education impacts everyone. It results in higher incomes, better jobs, rising
property values and a healthy economy. Today’s students are your doctors, nurses, engineers,
and technicians of tomorrow. Our parents, grandparents, and neighbors paid for education for
each of us. Investing in the next generation is a time-honored American value. Supporting public
education speaks volumes about our community and its future.

What is DCPS doing with the money being saved due to teacher shortages? Can that be
used to pay existing teachers more?

The district budget always assumes some vacancies, so it’s built into the budget. While
it’s true that the teacher shortage has created a pocket of unused funds, it would only be a
fraction of the compensation needed for Duval schools to become competitive with other
districts. The unused salaries are also being used to staff open classes with temporary solutions
such as long-term substitutes and online instructors so learning can continue for students. While
these temporary solutions can be employed in the short-term, they do not begin to provide a
comparable learning experience that an effective veteran teacher brings to the classroom.

What does the district currently do to attract and retain teachers?

The district reaches out to teachers at job fairs and online services. It provides a step
program to increase salaries through experience and performance, although the salary scale has
been flattened significantly over the past several years. Employees also have access to
continuous professional development to hone skills and learn new teaching techniques. The
district provides medical insurance benefits, mental health support, employee assistance
programs to work through personal and work-related issues, and flexibility with school
assignments. Schools provide professional learning communities so teachers can collaborate. The
reality is that Colleges of Education are no longer producing the number of graduates needed,
and retirements and resignations are increasing. The pipeline cannot keep up with the vacancies.

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