Only 51% of Duval County third-graders scored proficient in literacy last school year, trailing Miami-Dade County by 13 percentage points even as the district celebrated consecutive "A" grades. The 2026-27 school year opened Monday, Aug. 10.

Five years ago, more Jacksonville students were literacy-proficient than their Miami-Dade peers, according to a Jacksonville Today analysis of Florida Department of Education data published Aug. 10. That advantage has flipped, and DCPS has historically lagged Florida's other large urban districts in the measure.

For students at Mandarin High School, Mandarin Middle School and the area's elementary schools, the district's response is already taking shape in this year's budget and classroom strategies.

State assessments show reading gains despite persistent achievement gap

DCPS is not standing still. On the June 2026 state assessments, reading proficiency across third through 10th grade either rose or held steady, with sixth and eighth grades each jumping 7 percentage points, according to a district press release. English Language Arts proficiency districtwide climbed 4 percentage points, the largest single-subject gain in the July 1 district-grade results that earned DCPS its second straight "A" under tougher state standards.

Mandarin Oaks Elementary improved from a B to an A in those same results, according to a DCPS announcement.

Superintendent Christopher Bernier, speaking at a July 28 press conference reported by Jacksonville Today, said academic improvement "happens in classrooms, hallways, tutoring sessions, extracurricular activities, before- and after-school programs, and the daily interactions between our educators and students."

Concentrated poverty, absenteeism identified as biggest barriers

The Jacksonville Public Education Fund concluded in an April 2026 study that poverty and chronic absenteeism are the two biggest drivers of Duval's literacy challenges. Four of the five Florida districts larger than DCPS have higher overall poverty rates, but what distinguishes Duval is concentrated poverty.

Last school year, 39 Duval elementary schools had fewer than 40% of students meeting the state's literacy standard. Every one had a poverty rate above the countywide average of 43.2%. At 34 of those schools, more than 80% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals.

None of the 39 lowest-performing schools are in the Mandarin area, where household incomes generally exceed the county median. But district leaders have said the literacy push is systemwide, and the budget reflects that.

$3.4 billion tentative budget prioritizes literacy investment

The DCPS tentative budget for 2026-27, approved by the School Board on July 28, lists improving academic and literacy outcomes through increased investments in supplemental reading and mathematics materials as a top spending priority within the district's $3.4 billion operating plan.

Communities in Schools Jacksonville operates literacy programs at 11 high-poverty elementary schools and opened a Little Free Library at Sallye B. Mathis Elementary in Northwest Jacksonville in July, with plans to install three more at partner schools this year.

The district serves approximately 134,818 weighted full-time equivalent students. The School Board is scheduled to adopt the final budget and millage rates on Sept. 10.