Jan. 15, 2020 – The Duval County School Board has approved the district’s first steps toward implementation of its master facility plan, which is now being funded with a new half-penny voluntary tax approved by voters last year.
At its Jan. 11 meeting, the board approved the selection of Jacobs Engineering Group as the top-ranked firm to provide project management services for the plan, which will improve school facilities throughout the district.
Additionally, the board approved the selection of Bhide & Hall Architects, P.A., as the architecture and engineering firm for Rutledge H. Pearson Elementary School, which will serve as the prototype for rebuilding several other elementary schools throughout the district.
Both firms were selected through a competitive request for qualifications processes. With the board’s approval, the district will now enter contract negotiations with both firms. If contract negotiations are successful, the contracts will come to the board for approval at a future meeting. If contract negotiations are unsuccessful, the district will initiate contract discussions with the next highest ranked firms.
Under the master facilities plan, safety and security projects for many schools are expected to begin this year, and architectural and engineering planning will begin on major rebuilding and renovation projects in the first phase of priorities. Construction on Rutledge Pearson and other schools in the first group of priorities will begin in the coming 2021-2022 school year.
