Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The Jefferson County School District was released from emergency financial oversight by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) on Wednesday, Feb. 9, effective immediately, per a memo from Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. This action puts control of the local public schools back in the hands of Jefferson County’s elected school board members and Superintendent Eydie Tricquet.
For the past five years, following a period of low school grades and budget difficulties, the district’s school finances had been managed by FLDOE, and its educational programs from kindergarten through twelfth grade have been contracted to Somerset Academy, Inc. and operated as a charter school. Somerset’s agreement to run the district’s schools ends on June 30, 2022. This will put all aspects of the local public schools back in the hands of the locally elected school officials.
Tricquet held an emergency school board meeting on Wednesday evening, Feb. 9, to officially announce FLDOE’s decision. Before the meeting started, bottles of bubbly (non-alcoholic sparkling drink) were presented to district officials by Property Appraiser Angela Gray and board members started breaking out into song, with themes of freedom and thankfulness. After the gavel rapped, the celebratory mood continued.
Tricquet said, “I met with the Commissioner and his chief of staff yesterday afternoon, and we had a long conversation about what the future of Jefferson looks like, their support, and my assurance that we will do everything possible to turn this district around, be fiscally responsible and do what’s best. They were very supportive and very happy. In fact, I got a voicemail from him a while ago thanking me for going to the meeting today and being very positive. We want the past in the past, and we want to move forward.”
Copies of Commissioner Corcoran’s memo declaring the termination of the district’s state of financial emergency were distributed and reviewed. In the memo, Corcoran acknowledged the district’s assurances that none of the financial conditions currently exist that legally define a school district financial emergency, nor are they likely to occur in the 2022-23 school year. The FLDOE is requiring that Jefferson County School district submit a monthly financial summary beginning with the month ending Feb. 28, 2022. The monthly reports must include “each type of governmental fund, comparing budget to actual revenue and expenditures, including beginning and ending fund balance.” As of October 1, 2021, the district has a fund balance of $1,213,477 with a financial condition ratio of 15.24 percent, and the district has assured FLDOE that unassigned funds will not fall below 5 percent.
Tricquet also reported that the Florida House and Senate have appropriated $5 million to support the Jefferson School District, and it is likely this money will be rolled out over three years. Tricquet said that they want to make sure the district has everything it needs and will not need to use reserved funds as it moves forward.
“Today was such a victory,” she said.
As the agenda proceeded from the Superintendent Report to time for Closing Comments from the public and board members, the efforts of Tricquet and Transition Principal Jackie Pons were repeatedly recognized and praised, and board members all expressed a desire for unity in approaching the challenges ahead.
Rev. Terry Presley, president of the Jefferson County Minister’s Conference, said, “We are all in. Whatever we can do to help, just call on us. The line is open... We love our children here in this county. When we say ‘our children,’ it doesn’t mean our black children or our white children. Our children. We love them, and we want to get back to where we once were, education-wise. If we come together — I didn’t say pull apart — if we come together, we can accomplish anything we set out to do.”
Angela Gray, approached the podium to comment, not only in her pubic service role as property appraiser but also as a citizen, a graduate of Jefferson public schools and a representative of the Educational Foundation. “I would like to personally congratulate every one of you. I have to say, Ms. Tricquet, you are a fighter, and we have needed a fighter... As a community we have failed our school system for a long time, I’ll be the first to say it, and this was an eye-opener for all of us to know that we have to stick together and be behind our schools.” Gray then shared that the foundation is making plans for a campaign to build back community pride in our schools.
Board Member Charles Boland then asked what the next step was for the board, and Tricquet responded that it would include continued work on the district policies, bylaws and a new organizational chart.
Board Member Bill Brumfield then took a turn to comment, “We can do this,” and he expressed a desire for fellow board members to work together and take a new approach for dealing with differences among themselves.
Board Member Shirley Washington said, “I’m so elated... We have gone through a whole lot, but through it all, we have made it.” She compared her tears of sorrow five years ago to very different tears of happiness now. “'Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning,’” she quoted, adding, “And that’s what I got today, joy.”
Board Member Sandra Saunders commented, “I am elated today that this five and a half year battle is over... We look forward to making this school district the school system that we want. These children are just going to glow and grow.”
Board Member Gladys Roaan-Watson reiterated thank-yous to Pons and Tricquet and reinforced the board’s overall willingness to get the job done: “If it’s something I can do, and I know how to do it, I’m going to do it. You have my word on that.”
Tricquet wrapped up the meeting, saying, “I do appreciate the fact that any time I needed prayers, needed encouragement, anyone in this room would say ‘yes’.... I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the next little bit.”
She added that teachers could now receive assurances about what’s to come and that the community could look forward to a bolder presence of the school district’s logo and school colors, including “Orange and Blue” days and pep rallies to bring the community together.
As the meeting was about the be adjourned, Pons was asked to speak.
“There’s 300 students in Leon County that need to come home,” he said. “We want to welcome them and let you know, whether you’re a home school student or you’re in a private school or a public school, that we want you back.” He appreciated the support he's received and added, “Everybody did their part. This was a battle; this was a struggle from day one. There were forces working against us, but I think we had a force working with us that was much stronger. The teamwork, everybody coming together. It’s exciting... I think we have everything we need to be successful, and we are going to give it 110 percent... Thank you for the opportunity.”
A video recording of the meeting in its entirety will be posted in the Videos section of the Jefferson School District’s Facebook page.
After the meeting, the News ask Triquet for an update on the FLDOE's Invitation to Negotiate for a company to oversee the transition of the school system from Somerset back to the district. Tricquet told the News that she expects the FLDOE to announce this week that it is abandoning those efforts, due to a lack of qualified bidders. As the district takes control of its finances and programs, it expects to work directly with the FLDOE and not a contracted overseer.