Holiday Message from the School Board of Clay County |
As we celebrate the Christmas season and prepare to welcome the New Year, the Clay County School Board would like to extend our warmest wishes to each of you.
This is a time of joy, reflection, and gratitude—a season that reminds us of the importance of faith, family, service, and love for one another. We encourage everyone to pause amid the busy days to remember the true reason for the season and the values that unite us: kindness, generosity, hope, and compassion.
We are deeply thankful for our students who inspire us daily, our dedicated teachers and staff who serve with excellence and heart, and our families and community members whose support strengthens our schools. Together, we continue building a strong foundation for the future of Clay County.
As the New Year approaches, we look forward with optimism and renewed purpose. May 2026 bring continued growth, opportunity, and success for our schools and community.
From our families to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with peace, health, and blessings. |
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Upcoming Events & Key Dates |
All monthly regular school board meetings are held at 6 p.m. at the Teacher Training Center at Fleming Island High School at 2233 Village Square Parkway.
All monthly board workshop meetings are held at 9 a.m. at the Multipurpose Room at the County Office in Green Cove Springs at 900 Walnut Street. Upcoming Meetings: Regular School Board Meeting - Thursday, January 8th Board Workshop - Tuesday, January 26th
*The board will discuss the Code of Conduct. Important Dates: Students Return to School - January 6th Report Cards Posted - January 9th Martin Luther King Junior Day (No School) - January 19th Interim Grades Posted - February 6th
Presidents’ Day (No School) - February 16th End of Third Grading Period - March 13th |
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A Message on Fiscal Responsibility and Funding Challenges
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A Message on Fiscal Responsibility and Funding Challenges Your School Board is committed to ensuring every dollar supports our students, but we want to share a transparent update on our current financial environment. The Funding Gap
We continue to face significant financial challenges because state funding increases are not keeping pace with our rising operational costs. For instance, the Base Student Allocation (BSA) increased by only 0.78%, which is far below the 2.9% inflation rate impacting everything from utilities to supplies. This gap is further complicated by the state's underfunding of mandated services, such as school safety and transportation. Compounding these issues, this year over $29 million in local taxpayer funds were diverted from our public schools to pay for vouchers.
Board Action to Reduce Costs In response to these pressures, the Board has taken aggressive steps to ensure fiscal responsibility and protect classroom resources. These measures include: Implementing a rigorous 20% reduction in the overall budget.
Critically reviewing and reducing both district and school allocations. Renegotiating and cancelling district-level contracts. Reducing staff travel and non-essential expenditures. Financial Transparency
We will continue to be prudent stewards of taxpayer funds, working hard to maximize every resource for the benefit of our students. We invite all stakeholders to review our financial reports and audits which are linked below. Internal Audit
One Mill Half Cent Sales Tax |
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History of Strong Compensation |
In the last three years, the Board has provided historic increases to instructional compensation. 2022-2023: $5,136,397.00 2023-2024: $4,987,687.00 2024-2025: $5,320,945.00
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TOTAL: $18,548,632.00 Additionally, the Board paid insurance premium increases for all employees between 2019 and 2025, at a cost of $14 million. |
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School Funding and Teacher Pay |
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MYTH: The School Board can decide to give every teacher a significant raise simply by shifting money in the budget.
FACT: Teacher salaries and the overall district budget are heavily impacted by state funding formulas and initiatives like universal vouchers, which have resulted in significant funding decreases for Clay County District Schools. Any proposed raise plan must be fiscally responsible within those constraints. MYTH: Increased property taxes mean the School District has plenty of money for all needs.
FACT: School-related property taxes (millage rates) are largely set by the state and may not increase even when your total property tax bill goes up. Additionally, state law and constitutional amendments impose restrictions on how different funding sources (like bond money or local sales tax revenue, if applicable) can be used. For example, some funds may only be used for capital projects (buildings/maintenance) and not for operational costs (salaries/programs). MYTH: School funding is primarily determined by local property values. FACT: The vast majority of K-12 public school funding comes from the State of Florida through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), which calculates funding based on student enrollment, not just local property wealth. |
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Purple Star Distinction for Five CCDS Schools |
We are thrilled to announce that five of our schools have been recognized by the Florida Department of Education as Purple Star Schools of Distinction for the 2025-2028 cycle! This prestigious designation highlights their successful completion of all requirements necessary to better support our valued military-connected students and families.
A huge congratulations to Fleming Island Elementary, Fleming Island High, Green Cove Springs Junior High, Ridgeview High, and Thunderbolt Elementary for their dedication and commitment to serving those who serve our country! |
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Our students' safety and maintaining campus security is of the utmost importance. This means that all volunteers must register and follow the appropriate screening process. All level 1 volunteers are scanned against the Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators list each time they enter campus or volunteer. All level 2 volunteers are fingerprinted. Be sure to register before school starts! Visit our website to learn more about how to become a Volunteer at https://www.oneclay.net/page/volunteer-information.
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We encourage our community to engage with us directly with any questions or feedback.
Don't forget to download our District's new app to stay connected this school year! Rooms will be the primary method for school-to-guardian communication for the 2025-2026 school year. You can download the app at the following links:
Download for Android https://aptg.co/GbKvH7
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/7sy3gF |
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