Duval schools' one-mill tax renewal is on the Nov. 3 ballot — registration deadline is Monday

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Jacksonville voters will decide next month whether to keep paying a one-mill property tax that has funded Duval County Public Schools since 2022. Duval Teachers United held a forum Saturday, Oct. 3, to explain the renewal ahead of the Nov. 3 election, and if approved it would stay in place for four more years. The deadline to register in time to vote on it is Monday, Oct. 5.

Path of the one-mill renewal to the ballot

1. May 5, 2026

   School Board passed resolution to place referendum on ballot

2. June 9, 2026

   City Council approved placing referendum on November ballot

3. October 5, 2026

   Deadline to register to vote on the referendum

4. October 20, 2026

   Early voting begins across Duval County

5. November 1, 2026

   Early voting ends

6. November 3, 2026

   Election day; referendum decided

Source: duvalschools.org; news4jax.com; duvalelections.gov

What the money pays for

The tax funds additional teacher pay along with athletic facilities and arts programs, according to the district. District schools currently get about 81% of the revenue, with charter schools receiving roughly 19% under state law. The district says average salary supplements of $8,668 in 2025-26 coincided with teacher vacancies dropping and retention rising.

What it would cost homeowners

One mill equals $1 in tax for every $1,000 of a home's assessed value. The district's own example: a $300,000 home with $275,000 in taxable value, after the standard homestead exemption, would pay about $275 a year, or roughly $23 a month.

What teachers said at Saturday's forum

Speakers framed the measure as a continuation, not a new tax. One educator said losing the funding would come straight out of her own budget for housing, transportation and classroom materials. Another said a failed renewal would ripple through sports, arts and student tutoring programs across the district.

Key dates to watch

Voter registration for the referendum closes Oct. 5. Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election runs from Oct. 20 through Nov. 1 at sites across Duval County, with Election Day itself on Nov. 3.