Duval County schools facing $85 million shortfall

[Captain Zissou]

But does it make sense to sell that building now in a depressed market...or should they wait until commercial values start climbing again?

I agree that this isn't the best time to sell a property.  I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least start shopping the property around.  At least let the citizens know they're trying to cut expenses and being proactive about reducing the deficit. It may take a year or two, but whatever can be done to raise money for the students should be done ASAP.

[stjr]

How about a moratorium on road building and splitting those funds 50/50 between education and mass transit!  Now that is a home run. 

While we are at it, charter schools don't have a very good batting ratio to date.  I believe, of the dozen or so tried here, all but one failed, and that one is actually run by Florida State College, not private interests.  Hopefully, the KIPP school will be a great success.  Successfully educating kids is not as easy as it looks, that is for sure.

[aaapolito]

While we are at it, charter schools don't have a very good batting ratio to date.  I believe, of the dozen or so tried here, all but one failed, and that one is actually run by Florida State College, not private interests.  Hopefully, the KIPP school will be a great success.  Successfully educating kids is not as easy as it looks, that is for sure.

Charter schools that do not do well should fail and be closed, but the same should be said for failing public schools.  While I admit that this is easy to say, I do believe that if a sense of competition is created, then hopefully a better system will be the end product.  This was the misunderstood goal of No Child Left Behind Act.  Most people did not see it for what it really was, legislation that encouraged charter schools to replace failing public schools.

I also hope that the KIPP school will be a success.  I am confident that it will.  Teach for America (genesis for KIPP) is already succeeding in JAX with almost 100 teachers in schools throughout JAX.

[thelakelander]

Why not look at transportation costs?  Why can't the school board work with JTA on busing needs?

[stjr]

Lake, JTA working with another non-road building governmental agency may beyond JTA's imagination.  They certainly haven't demonstrated the ability to work with other partners in addressing bigger community wide concerns if their track record with Downtown, mass transit, and rush to create urban sprawl is any indication.