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Board reviews plan for automated facilities‑rental platform to generate school revenue
Summary
District staff described plans to implement an automated online platform for renting school facilities; principals would control availability and approvals, the system would collect payments electronically and the district expects a split of rental revenue after operating costs, with the vendor embedding its fees in pricing.
Duval County School District staff presented a plan to adopt an automated facilities‑rental platform that would list school spaces, collect payments electronically and provide principals an online way to approve or deny requests.
Staff said the platform will allow community users to view available gyms, fields, cafeterias and other rentable spaces — similar to a commercial short‑term rental calendar — and to request dates and pay online. The district intends for principals to set availability and pricing for their sites and to approve individual reservations; staff emphasized principals can block out dates for school events or maintenance so those times are not available for rent.
Staff explained the proposed revenue split and operational details: the vendor’s fee is embedded in the platform price, staff said, and the school would receive a portion of net revenue after custodial and utilities costs. The district proposed keeping a portion of revenue for a centralized troubleshooting fund to assist principals with scheduling problems or to pay a district‑level coordinator who would handle escalations and system support.
Board members asked about liability and insurance. Staff said indemnification clauses and insurance riders required by existing board policy will be enforced and stored electronically through the rental platform. They said different rates will apply depending on user type (for‑profit vs. nonprofit) and that all required documentation will be captured and archived by the system.
Principals’ authority was a recurring concern. Staff and board members said principals can remove a facility from availability if they choose, add recurring school events to a master calendar, and set local constraints. One staff member compared the user experience to vacation‑rental sites and said the system will show calendar availability and pictures of spaces. The district expects to pilot and implement the platform over the summer for fall availability if the board moves forward.
