The Challenge: For years, John G. Riley Elementary has had more students zoned to attend than the school's capacity allows. That means if every student currently zoned to attend Riley Elementary School showed up to attend school, there would not be enough classrooms. Additionally, more than 50 Pre-Kindergarten students currently attend school at the Wesson Center across town. 

The Proposal: LCS is proposing to rezone John G. Riley Elementary for the 2025-2026 school year to shift some students to Astoria Park, Ft. Braden, and Sabal Palm Elementary schools. This would decrease the number of students zoned to attend Riley and free up classroom space to allow for up to three Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. 

Parents: Each school impacted will host community meetings to provide more information about the rezoning process. Parents of current John G. Riley Elementary School students impacted by the new proposed school zones can choose to keep their students at Riley for the 2025-2026 school year. However, there will be no bus transportation provided. This parental decision will need to be made by April 18, 2025.  

Public Meetings: 

• Sabal Palm: Wednesday, February 12 at 6:00 p.m. 
• Ft. Braden: Thursday, February 13 at 6:00 p.m. 
• Riley: Wednesday, February, 19 at 6:00 p.m. 
• Astoria Park: Thursday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. 

NOTICE OF

.

The Leon County School Board will soon consider a measure to increase its property tax levy.

A portion of the tax levy is required under state law in order for the school board to receive $144,335,117 in state education grants.

The required portion has increased by 3.81 percent, and represents approximately six tenths of the total proposed taxes.

The remainder of the taxes is proposed solely at the discretion of the school board.

All concerned citizens are invited to a public hearing on the tax increase to be held on

July 30, 2024 - 6:00 p.m.

at

The Aquilina Howell Center

3955 West Pensacola Street

Tallahassee, Florida

A DECISION on the proposed tax increase and

the budget will be made at this hearing.

NOTICE OF TAX FOR

The Leon County School board will soon consider a measure to continue to impose a 1.500 mill property tax for the capital outlay projects listed herein.  The tax is in addition to the school board’s proposed tax of 3.884 mills for operating expenses and is proposed solely at the discretion of the school board.

**THE PROPOSED COMBINED SCHOOL BOARD TAX INCREASE FOR BOTH OPERATING EXPENSES AND CAPITAL OUTLAY IS SHOWN IN THE ADJACENT NOTICE.

The capital outlay will generate approximately $39,156,408 to be used for the following projects:

CONSTRUCTION AND REMODELING

• District-wide Locations
• Administration of Projects/Sites

MAINTENANCE, RENOVATION, AND REPAIR

• Preventative and Emergency Maintenance
• Reimbursement of the maintenance, renovation and repairs paid through the General Fund as permitted by Florida Statute
• Paint, Roofs, HVAC, Fire Alarms, Sprinklers, Intercoms, Security Systems, Energy Management, District-wide Locations

MOTOR VEHICLE PURCHASES

• Purchase of Maintenance Vehicles
• Purchase of 10 School Buses
• Purchase of student transportation vans

NEW AND REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER AND DEVICE HARDWARE AND OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE NECESSARY FOR GAINING ACCESS TO OR ENHANCING THE USE OF ELECTRONIC AND DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT AND RESOURCES, AND ENTERPRISE RESOURCE SOFTWARE

• Purchase of classroom furniture and equipment, including instruments, district-wide
• Purchase of tablets district-wide
• Purchase of new computers district-wide
• Purchase of network equipment
• Purchase of software applications for districtwide administration of enterprise resource software acquired via license/maintenance fees or lease agreements

PAYMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND SITES DUE UNDER A LEASE-PURCHASE AGREEMENT

• Annual master lease payments for various facilities and renovations
• Annual lease payment for qualified school construction bonds for various facilities
• Annual lease payment of qualified zone academy bonds for various facilities
• Annual master lease payments for site purchases
• Debt service payments on certificates of participation for various facilities

PAYMENT OF COSTS OF COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STATUTES, RULES, AND REGULATIONS

• Removal of hazardous waste

PAYMENT OF PREMIUMS FOR PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE NECESSARY TO INSURE THE EDUCATIONAL AND ANCILLARY PLANTS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT

• Insurance premiums on district plant

PAYMENT OF COSTS OF LEASING RELOCATABLE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

• Leasing of portable classrooms

PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND BENEFTIS

• Salaries and benefits for school bus drivers

CHARTER SCHOOL CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS PURSUANT TO S. 1013.62(4), F.S.

• Purchase of real property
• Construction of school facilities
• Renovation, repair, and maintenance of school facilities
• Payment of the cost of premiums for property and casualty insurance necessary to insure school facilities
• Purchase or lease of permanent or relocatable school facilities
• Payment of costs of opening day collection for library media
• Purchase or lease of driver’s education vehicles, maintenance vehicles, security vehicles, or vehicles used in storing and distributing materials and equipment
• Purchase of vehicles to transport students
• Computer and device hardware and operating system software necessary for gaining access to or enhancing the use of electronic and digital instructional content and resources, and enterprise resource software

All concerned citizens are invited to a public hearing to be held on:

July 30, 2024 - 6:00 p.m.

at The Aquilina Howell Center

3955 West Pensacola Street, Tallahassee, Florida.

A DECISION on the proposed CAPITAL OUTLAY TAXES will be made at this hearing.

LCS will have a public meeting to discuss proposed updates to the district procurement policy as well as the local preference policy on Thursday, December 7, 2023, at 10:00 am at the Howell Building, 3955 Pensacola St.