Public schools in Jacksonville are controlled by the Duval County School Board (DCSB), which had a 2009-10 enrollment of over 155,000 students, making it the 15th largest school district in the United States,[1] and 5th largest school district in Florida. DCPS has 160 regular-attendance schools as of the 2009-10 school year: 105 elementary schools, 28 middle schools and 20 high schools. The district also has an adult education system, with night classes at most high schools, three dedicated ESE schools, as well as a hospital/homebound program and four alternative education centers.
The total does not include charter schools, which numbered 13 for the 2009-2010 school year. Charter schools operate under contract to the Duval County School Board and follow the curriculum and rules of the DCSB. They are publicly funded and non-sectarian; most are oriented to help students "at risk". These include students who have been unsuccessful in a traditional setting; have below average grades; have difficulty on tests; have been retained in one or more grade levels; or have problems with behavior.[2]
A total of 71 schools offer magnet programs in 30 program areas. In addition to the required courses, these schools allow students to explore individual interests and develop talents in the arts, aviation, culinary skills, language, law & legal occupations, mathematics, public service, science and technology. Nearly 20,000 students participated during the 2009-2010 school year.[4]
The Jacksonville Public Library had its beginnings when May Moore and Florence Murphy started the "Jacksonville Library and Literary Association" in 1878. The Association was populated by various prominent Jacksonville residents and sought to create a free public library and reading room for the city.[8]
Over the course of 127 years, the system has grown from that one room library to become one of the largest in the state. The Jacksonville library system has twenty branches, ranging in size from the 54,000 sq ft (5,000 m2) West Regional Library to smaller neighborhood libraries like Westbrook and Eastside. The Library annually receives nearly 4 million visitors and circulates over 6 million items. Nearly 500,000 library cards are held by area residents.[9]
On November 12, 2005, the new 300,000 sq ft (30,000 m2) Main Library opened to the public, replacing the 40-year-old Haydon Burns Library. The largest public library in the state, the opening of the new main library marked the completion of an unprecedented period of growth for the system under the Better Jacksonville Plan.[10] The new Main Library offers specialized reading rooms, public access to hundreds of computers and public displays of art, an extensive collection of books, and special collections ranging from the African-American Collection to the recently opened Holocaust Collection.[8]
There are a number of private colleges and universities as well. Jacksonville University, established in 1934, is a private, four-year institution. It enrolls around 3,500 students a year and offers a number of bachelor's and master's programs. Edward Waters College, founded in 1866, is Jacksonville's oldest institution of higher education, as well as the Florida's oldest historically black college. It enrolls around 800 students and offers associate's and bachelor's programs. Also in the area is Flagler College, a private college in St. Augustine.[11]
A 2010 survey by The Florida Times-Union found that most employers view education from for-profit schools acceptable for entry-level jobs, but in a situation where two equally qualified individuals applied for a job, the person with a degree from the public university would be hired. Another consideration was accreditation; most institutions have at least national accreditation, but some individual medical or technical programs require additional accreditation. Another question was whether course credits would transfer to other institutions; most institutions do not accept credits from nationally accredited schools.[12]
