Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida, are experiencing a decline in enrollment, partly due to the increasing popularity of charter schools. Over the past decade, there has been a decrease of 30,000 students in DCPS, while charter school enrollment has steadily risen, with nearly 2,000 additional students each year since 2017–18. Parents cite reasons such as convenience, smaller class sizes, and specialized approaches to education for choosing charter schools over public schools. However, concerns about accountability and educational quality persist, with State Representative Angie Nixon advocating for greater community engagement and support for public schools. Despite the growing popularity of charter schools, there are efforts to address the needs of students in both charter and public school systems, including initiatives for free tutoring and LSAT prep in Northwest Jacksonville. DCPS is currently assessing the situation and is expected to respond to parents’ concerns about school choice.
