Duval County Public Schools opened a five-minute survey Monday, Oct. 12, asking military-connected families and others with ties to federal property to help the district secure federal Impact Aid funding.

The 2026 Federal Impact Aid Survey runs through Oct. 26, according to a district announcement. Parents and guardians can complete the questionnaire through their Parent FOCUS accounts.

The funding helps offset property tax revenue school districts cannot collect from tax-exempt federal property, including military installations. DCPS can use the money for textbooks, classroom materials, additional staff and other educational needs.

The district must document students' qualifying federal connections to help determine how much funding it can receive.

Which families should complete the survey?

According to DCPS, the survey asks about students whose parents or guardians:

  • Serve on active military duty or as full-time members of a foreign military.
  • Live in federally supported housing.
  • Work on a military base or other qualifying federal property, including certain federal facilities and post offices.
  • Live in qualifying public housing.

The federal government uses the information to determine Impact Aid funding. The money goes to school districts, not military installations.

Superintendent Christopher Bernier and Capt. Mike Trumbull, commanding officer of Naval Station Mayport, recorded a joint video message encouraging families to participate.

Survey comes amid declining enrollment

The survey comes as DCPS faces declining enrollment and related financial pressures.

District enrollment has fallen below 100,000 students for the first time in modern history, a 16% decline since 2015, WOKV reported Sept. 30, citing district data.

The enrollment decline affects state funding tied to student counts, adding pressure on the district to maintain classroom resources and staffing.

Impact Aid provides a separate source of federal support for districts serving students connected to federal property.

Parents and guardians can log in to their Parent FOCUS accounts to complete the survey through Oct. 26. The district estimates it takes about five minutes.