Board split on membership and travel to Council of Great City Schools; one trip approved, two later trips fail

Board members debated and then voted on travel and participation in the Council of Great City Schools during the Feb. 4 meeting, a discussion that exposed sharp differences about conference value, cost and political tone.

Board member Willie — who serves on the Council’s executive committee — sought approval to attend three separate Council events (March, July and October 2025). Vice Chair Carney and others asked for item-by-item discussion. Several public commenters and board members criticized the Council’s membership dues, the organization’s $61,964 annual fee cited during discussion, and prior consulting work billed to the district; some speakers argued the expenses provide insufficient return on investment.

Board Member Balduc and others defended travel as professional development for board members from large urban districts and said participating can yield policy and practice ideas that apply to Duval. "This is an organization that's added great value to the district," Balduc said. Opponents pointed to the cost, the perceived partisan tone of some past keynote speakers at Council events and the existence of alternative conferences.

Votes: The March 2025 executive-board meeting in Washington, D.C., passed 4–3. The July and October Council meetings failed, each by 1–6. Several board members said they will ask staff to bring the Council membership contract to a future board agenda for a broader evaluation before committing to future trips. Board member concerns included annual dues, travel costs, and whether benefits accrue to the district.

Ending: The split votes leave the district still affiliated with the Council for now but signal that several board members want a formal review of the Council’s annual membership and the district's return on that investment before approving further travel.