JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Duval County School Board has approved a measure to change school boundaries for the 2026-2027 academic year, with the goal of better balancing student populations across the district.
The decision passed with a 6-1 vote, with board member Reginald Blount casting the lone vote against the proposal.
The approved plan is part of the district’s ongoing effort to address enrollment imbalances and make the best use of school facilities. Several consolidations have already been set for the 2026 school year, including the merger of Hyde Grove Elementary into Hyde Park Elementary.
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Without changes, Hyde Park’s capacity could reach 120%. The new plan will move part of Hyde Grove’s boundary to Ramona Elementary to help alleviate overcrowding.
Duval County parent Yasmina White expressed concern about how these changes are being communicated to the community.
“The unfortunate part is that the school closure conversation has kind of quieted in public spaces, and the community needs to be aware that this is an ongoing thing,” White said.
White also questioned whether the district’s projections for student enrollment at consolidated schools will hold true. “My concern is, if the assumption that all families will decide to go there, and we’ll be at that 100% utilization, will they still operate in the way that the district is expecting and hoping?” she said.
Another consolidation will see Hidden Oaks Elementary merging into Cedar Hills Elementary in 2026. If boundaries remain unchanged, Cedar Hills could reach full capacity. To address this, the proposal shifts part of Cedar Hills’ boundary to Jacksonville Heights.
Maps shared by the district illustrate how the proposed boundary changes will affect student assignments. For example, Ramona Elementary’s boundary will expand, while the boundaries for Cedar Hills and Jacksonville Heights will shift to accommodate the new student distribution.
White encourages other parents to stay engaged and monitor enrollment numbers after the consolidations take place. “Just paying attention to the numbers after they do combine because if they’re not at a viable enrollment number, then they could be back on the table again after they’ve consolidated,” she said.
In addition to the boundary changes, the school board also discussed a resolution to employ its own general counsel, independent of the city of Jacksonville’s Office of General Counsel.
