JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Westside High School is one of the many schools potentially on the chopping block as Duval County Public Schools looks at ways to close a $1.4 billion budget gap in funding.
"Not happy about that," LaToya Walker, a Westside HS parent, said. “It's given them a sense of pride. They built friendships and relationships."
Walker is also chair of the school advisory council at the high school.
"I work with the principal and the community to kind of bridge that gap to bring awareness to what we're trying to do for the schools," Walker said.
Four years ago, taxpayers voted for a half-penny sales tax to fund improvements at Duval County Public Schools.
The district promised a brand new 65-million-dollar Westside High School. But, four years later a new school isn't even a discussion.
“It's estimated to be $122 million now versus $62 million that we estimated in 2018, nobody knew the pandemic was going to hit us," school board member, Warren Jones, said.
Westside HS is in Jones' district.
A consultant, hired by the district, said renovating nearby Ed White High School and consolidating it with Westside HS would be cheaper.
When you pair rising costs, with declining enrollment, and new legislation funneling taxpayer money to charter schools, the district finds itself in a $1.4 billion gap in funding for its master facility plan.
“There's certainly some dollars that we have expended. That's why we paused on the construction," Jones said.
The district already spent $54.9 million in taxpayer money on security and safety upgrades at schools, including schools proposed to close like Atlantic Beach and John Stockton Elementary.
Jones said the pause on new construction is necessary.
“We're going to take our time, develop a plan on which schools will be closed, and then go to the public and get public input,” Jones said.
Walker has an idea.
“Let's compromise. We can make upgrades,” Walker said.
Despite being promised a new school, she’s willing to compromise.
If it means keeping Westside HS where it is.
“People spend for what they want to spend, the money needs to be spent here," Walker said.
Walker said she plans to host a meeting to inform parents soon.
As for schools that received upgrades but are proposed to close.
First Coast News asked the district if those improvements could be moved to other school locations.
We are waiting to hear back at this time.