At a Feb. 4 agenda‑review meeting, public commenters urged the Duval County School Board to abandon plans to eliminate student transportation and to keep the current eight‑block school day at magnet high schools, saying proposed changes would reduce electives and harm International Baccalaureate (IB), arts and career programs.

The public comment period opened with Vice Chair Carney reading the board’s public comment process and then hearing from 10 speakers who said budget cuts under consideration would disproportionately affect magnet schools that draw students from across the county.

Lucy Bravo, a parent of four Duval County public school students, said eliminating transportation would worsen traffic and create “class disparity” because families with means could arrange alternatives such as carpools while others could be forced to transfer to neighborhood schools. “Transportation is a huge issue for us,” she said.

Students and parents from Wolfson High School and other magnet programs detailed how a switch from the district’s current eight‑block/AB schedule to a seven‑period day would reduce opportunities to take arts, AP and dual‑enrollment courses. Lucy Pearson, a student at Wolfson High School, said the block schedule “is essential to the IB program’s success” and allows students and teachers time to work through college‑level material.

Ben Marmelstein, who described taking dual‑enrollment coursework at Wolfson through Embry‑Riddle, said career and technical education (CTE), JROTC and dual‑enrollment classes prepare students for college and careers; he warned those options would be curtailed by schedule changes. Kai Okada, a Wolfson student who polled peers, said 47% of respondents said losing the eighth period would eliminate the ability to take electives, while 23% said it would increase stress and harm mental health.

Parents amplified those concerns. Erin Lewis called the arts “a creative outlet” that supports students taking college‑level courses, and Gage McManus said his children in JROTC had reacted emotionally to the rumor of schedule and start‑time changes. Cassia Brunner and Catherine M. Smith Spears emphasized that reducing periods would limit students’ ability to pursue rigorous pathways — IB, AP and STEM — and could make Duval magnet programs less competitive statewide.

Chief Communications Officer Dr. Pierce read a list of additional speakers who had waived their time, and Vice Chair Carney recessed the agenda‑review meeting to move a workshop and further agenda discussion upstairs. The board did not take formal action during the public comment period and no motions or votes on the schedule or transportation changes were recorded in the transcript.

Speakers requested clearer, more transparent communication from the district about proposed budget options. Several asked the board to pursue alternatives to cutting instructional time or transportation rather than reducing students’ curricular options.

The agenda meeting was recessed and the board moved to a workshop; the public comment portion was adjourned without deliberation or a vote on the proposals mentioned by speakers.