Closing underutilized magnet schools — like A. Philip Randolph Career Academies — would save DCPS $77M

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In an effort to save money, a proposal to close nearly 30 Duval County Public Schools is on the table.

The closings could eliminate a handful of magnet schools, including A. Philip Randolph Career Academies.

Magnet schools with low utilization include:

• A. Phillip Randolph Academy

• Joseph Stilwell Middle School

• RV Daniels Elementary School

• Young Men’s Women’s Leadership Academy

• Grasp Academy

According to the master plan, closing these under-used magnet schools would save DCPS close to $77 million. However, there are concerns from parents about what would happen to specialized trade programs at closed magnet schools.

News4JAX spoke with one mother whose daughter is getting cosmetology training at A. Philip Randolph.

Takesha Stephens is proud to say her daughter is following in her footsteps.

Working in the beauty industry herself, it was a moment of pride for her when her high-school-aged daughter expressed an interest in attending the Cosmetology Academy at A. Philip Randolph.

“I really like to see her come home and talk about certain things that I’m already familiar with in the industry. So it kind of makes my heart beat a little bit,” Stephens said.

The cosmetology academy is one of the programs at risk of being closed under the Duval County Public Schools Facilities Master Plan. The plan outlines school consolidation efforts that are meant to keep classrooms full and minimize costly building upgrades.

“APR is a hidden gem. It’s been around for years, a hidden gem on the north side of town. And unfortunately, because of where it’s located, it has a bad stigma, which I think is ridiculous,” Stephens said.

The cosmetology academy is just one program at A. Philip Randolph. Many of the programs allow students to graduate state-board certified without having to pay a dime of their own money.

“We’ve had 19 of our students who just received their certification in welding, which means that they can just go out into the workforce. We’ve had several students to get their licensed cosmetology license and their specialty nails license,” said Mary Flynn, A. Philip Randolph Career Academies Principal.

Flynn said there are several different programs including a firefighting academy and crime scene investigation academy at the school where students are encouraged to find their passion.

Programs at APR include:

• Building Trades and Welding Academy

• Cosmetology Academy

• Criminal Justice and Crime Scene Investigation Academy

• Digital Sports Academy

• Firefighting Academy

Flynn said the programs are important to the community because not everyone is meant to go to college.

The proposal suggests that career academies would be incorporated into Raines High School’s replacement facility as well as other magnet schools if the high school were to shut down.

The proposal to close A. Philip Randolph Academy would save DCPS roughly $35 million.

Stephens said moving the programs to different schools won’t be the same for students.

“I think they will be they will get less exposure to the particular industry, or the program, I think it will take away from not only the teachers, also the students,” she said. “I think it’s a disservice to not only the existing schools where they are thinking about moving these programs as well as especially APR.”

Duval County Public School Officials want to emphasize that we are still in the early stages of the process to develop a new long-term facility plan. There have been no decisions on school consolidation recommendations just yet.

The next steps include a workshop on Tuesday at DCPS headquarters.