Duval County educators warned Sunday, Oct. 4, that allowing the district's one-mill property tax to expire would eliminate salary supplements that averaged $8,668 for teachers last school year and reduce funding for arts and athletics.

Duval Teachers United, the union representing Duval County Public Schools educators, organized the community forum to raise awareness about the one-mill property tax renewal on the Nov. 3 ballot. The deadline to register to vote in the general election is Monday, Oct. 5.

The tax provides additional compensation at DCPS schools across the county, including Mandarin High School, Mandarin Middle School and area elementary schools such as Crown Point and Loretto.

Eva Kelley, a DCPS educator, told attendees the stakes are personal.

"If it goes away from me, that is money out of my budget. So that is money that I used for housing, transportation, utilities, money for some materials that I need for work that are not already provided," Kelley said at the forum, according to News4JAX.

Ivory Winfrey, who also spoke at the forum, stressed that the referendum would continue an existing tax rather than impose a new one. Winfrey said she believes allowing the millage to expire would affect sports, arts programs and student tutoring.

Duval County voters first approved the one-mill levy in 2022. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. A home with a taxable value of $275,000 would pay about $275 per year, or roughly $23 per month, according to district figures.

If renewed, the tax would continue for four more years, beginning July 1, 2027, and ending June 30, 2031.

The majority of DCPS' share of the revenue goes toward additional compensation for teachers, school police and other employees. About 12% supports arts and athletics programs, according to district data. State law also requires the district to share the revenue proportionately with charter schools.

The district says the millage has helped with teacher recruitment and retention. Teacher salary supplements averaged $8,668 during the 2025-26 school year, while the teacher vacancy rate fell from 6.5% to 4.4%. Teacher retention increased from 88% to 91%.

Superintendent Christopher Bernier raised similar concerns at a School Board meeting in September. Bernier said Duval competes for educators with neighboring Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties and warned that teachers could leave for districts offering higher compensation.

"If a teacher knows they can make more in another county, they'll go to that county and fill that vacancy before they'll come to us," Bernier said, according to News4JAX.

Early voting in Duval County begins Tuesday, Oct. 20, and continues through Sunday, Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The Jacksonville Public Education Fund will host an online community forum on the referendum at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. The forum will feature Duval County educators discussing the one-mill renewal and its effects on teachers, students and schools.