NewsLine staff
District Dr. Kathy Burns
Q: The Nassau County School District recently received its performance grade from the state. How did the district perform?
A: It cannot be said enough that Nassau County is an A-rated school district. Not only is the district rated “A,” but every single one of our schools is also A-rated based on the criteria set by the state of Florida. Along with that, we are the number one ranked district in the state.
We also recently recognized over 124 students who achieved a perfect score on their progress monitoring assessments last year. Having that many in Nassau County is a testimony to the success of our students and teachers.
Q: What steps is the district taking to expand Career and Technical Education (CTE)?
A: We are continuing to expand CTE because not everyone is going to college. We are working to stand up a grant-funded welding program and hope to have that operational in the next year.
For those pursuing higher education, we have an early college program. By next year, every one of our high schools will have the opportunity to participate. Students spend their final two years as college students but graduate high school with two years of college completed, free of charge.
Q: Voters approved a 1-mill property tax increase in 2022. With that referendum set to expire in 2026, how have those funds been utilized?
A: The millage was voted on for four years, so that term will be up in 2026. The board will soon determine if we will go back to the voters to ask for continued support.
The funds have primarily provided additional funds for teacher salaries, making our beginning teacher salary the highest among all our neighboring counties.
Beyond salaries, the millage has funded extensive safety measures, such as strategic badges for every employee to initiate lockdowns, and expanded camera systems. We also now have art teachers in every elementary school, athletic trainers for every high school, and turf fields .
Q: How does the district ensure transparency regarding these tax dollars?
A: We have a Millage Oversight Committee made up of citizens from throughout Nassau County. They meet throughout the year to review exactly what we have received and how those funds are being spent. This committee provides oversight so the public knows we are not just throwing money here and there.
Q: How has the recent change in the board meeting schedule impacted public engagement?
A: The board voted to move to one regular board meeting a month, but we now hold a workshop prior to the meeting. This workshop allows us to dig deeper into topics publicly and provides a space for question-and-answer sessions on agenda items.
Dr. Kathy Burns is the Superintendent of the Nassau County School District. She can be reached at burnska@nassau.k12.fl.us or 904-491-9900.
