Parents, students urge Duval board to keep magnet bus service and 8-period schedule

Hundreds of students, parents and teachers pressed the Duval County School Board on Feb. 4 to preserve magnet transportation and the district’s eight-period block schedule, saying proposed cuts would curtail access to magnet programs, extracurriculars and elective classes that many said are crucial for college admissions and student well‑being.

During the meeting’s public-comment period, more than 40 speakers were allotted one minute each; dozens used that time to describe how changes to bus service and a move to seven periods would affect their families and students at magnet schools such as Stanton, Paxton, Wolfson, Douglas Anderson and Wilson. "This change would strip every single IB student of their only chosen elective," said Cody Begay, a Wolfson freshman. "It would be completely naive to think about a change as it eliminates any creative outlet we might have."

The debate matters because magnet buses are the primary daily link for many students who live far from specialized programs, speakers said. "If we remove the magnet transportation, none of my children can get to school," said Jessica Gemma, a parent who lives in a rural area she said has no public transit. Several students and parents said eliminating buses would disproportionately prevent lower-income families from accessing advanced coursework and arts or CTE programs, harming equity and potentially reducing school enrollment and district funding.

Board members and staff acknowledged financial pressure and policy drivers behind the proposals. Superintendent Dr. Daniel Bernier told the board they must consider budget trade-offs under current revenue constraints and that some changes under discussion are tied to broad cost-savings and scheduling adjustments. He also noted the district is responding to state-level rules and long-term fiscal planning; no final board action on magnet transportation or the bell schedule was recorded in the meeting minutes.

Several students described concrete harms: lost robotics, debate, band and CTE participation; reduced opportunities to earn concurrent-college credit; and larger class sizes if electives are folded into core periods. "We would lose our electives. We are losing the ability to have as much freedom as we want," said student Jillian Pierce. Parents warned that families could leave the district or enroll in private/online options if access to magnet programs narrows.

Board members signaled openness to continued discussion. Several asked staff for financial scenarios and reminded the public the board must balance the budget and follow state law. Board member Melanie Bolduc, who pulled a charter renewal item for discussion earlier in the meeting, said she wants statewide rules aligned so charter and district accountability are comparable. The transcript includes repeated requests from parents for clearer impact estimates — which district staff said they will provide in follow-up briefings and workshops.

No formal vote on magnet-bus cuts or the seven-period proposal occurred on Feb. 4; the board received public comment and heard requests from parents to maintain current transportation and schedule policies.

Ending: Parents and students urged immediate retention of magnet bus service and the AB eight-period schedule; the board asked staff for budget scenarios and said the district will include the topic in upcoming committee workshops and budget deliberations.