The Duval County School Board spent an extended portion of its meeting reviewing charter contract renewals for several schools, discussing state statutory requirements, pass-through funding and accountability for persistently low-performing charter operators.

Board members and staff cited Florida Statute 1002.33 while explaining renewal terms and said state law now prescribes renewal-length frameworks tied to recent performance rather than allowing the district broad discretion to impose longer or shorter terms. Mr. Hayes, a member of the district’s charter team, summarized the application and renewal process, saying district staff review applications, perform capacity interviews, conduct site visits, monitor monthly deliverables and bring contracts and renewals to the board after that review.

Several board members asked for a clear, itemized chart that shows for each charter: current enrollment, years in operation, historical school grades, annual pass-through amounts from the district (including FEFP allocations and other funds), and any administrative fees retained by the district. One board member said the group’s quick tally showed roughly $25 million in pass-through funding for the renewals under discussion and asked for a per-school breakdown to explain apparent disparities between funding and school performance.

Members raised accountability concerns, noting that statute limits the district’s closure authority and that only multiple F grades (or other statutorily defined triggers) can lead to nonrenewal. One board member asked whether a school with consecutive D grades presents grounds for action; staff replied that the current statute requires more severe triggers (such as consecutive Fs or defined material violations) before nonrenewal.

Discussion included questions about facility capacity, fire marshal occupancy limits versus educational capacity, and enrollment trends at specific schools (for example, KIPP Duval’s enrollment fluctuations tied to added grade levels). Staff agreed to return with the requested charts showing pass-through dollars, current and projected enrollments, school grades over time, and administrative-fee calculations.

Ending: The board recessed after completing discussion of multiple charter renewals and asked staff to prepare an annual charter office report with the detailed charts and comparisons requested before further action on renewals.