Duval County Public Schools ending free lunch at 37 schools, breakfast still free for all
The district shared the information through its social media platforms and sent emails to parents. You can read that here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/12KjrRgTqKU/
Since 2020, the district has been able to provide free lunch to all students in all schools across the district, regardless of their financial status, because of additional funds allotted to the county through federal pandemic funding.
Now, the district said it is no longer sustainable with the county's budget to continue the program.
Before 2020, schools with 40% or more students from low-income families were automatically enrolled in the free lunch for all programs. Those schools will continue to receive free lunches next year.
Conversely, since this five-year-long program is being reversed, students in those schools that don't automatically qualify will have to apply for free or reduced lunch through the free or reduced lunch application.
Listed below are the schools that don't automatically qualify for free lunch starting next school year:
Alden Road Exceptional Student Center
Alimacani Elementary
Anchor Academy Elementary
Atlantic Beach Elementary
Atlantic Coast High
Baldwin Jr/Sr
Bartram Springs Elementary
Chets Creek Elementary
Darnell Cookman Jr/Sr
Douglas Anderson High
Fishweir Elementary
Fletcher High
Fletcher Middle
Greenland Pines Elementary
Hendricks Avenue Elementary
J. Allen Axson Elementary
Jacksonville Beach Elementary
James Weldon Johnson Middle
John Stockton Elementary
Julia Landon Middle
Lavilla Middle
Loretto Elementary
Louis Sheffield Elementary
Mandarin High
Mandarin Middle
Mandarin Oaks Elementary
Mayport Elementary
Mayport Middle
Neptune Beach Elementary
New Berlin Elementary
Paxon High
Sabal Palm Elementary
Samuel W. Wolfson High
San Pablo Elementary
Sandalwood High
Seabreeze Elementary
Stanton High
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
District leaders say students at these schools can still apply to qualify for free lunch through the free or reduced lunch program. Students can also pay out-of-pocket to eat school lunch, or bring their lunch to school going forward.
Action News Jax talked to Luis Caballero, who said all four of his children attend schools that won't offer free lunch next school year.
'I just don't think it's a fair thing to be doing to kids right now,' Caballero said.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Caballero said while his children haven't always taken advantage of the free lunch, it's been nice as a back-up plan when his children would forget to bring a lunch from home.
'If there are days that they forget their lunch and stuff like that, then that impacts them because we're two working parents and you have to be working parents in this economy,' he said.
DCPS said it will still serve breakfast for free to all students across the district, regardless of their family income status.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
AI-Powered Ads Set to Catalyze Yet Another META Earnings Beat
I've been bullish on Meta Platforms (META) for years, and since it is now my largest holding by far, I am particularly excited about its Q2 results, scheduled for release after tomorrow's market close. After a fantastic Q1 that crushed expectations in late April, Meta's stock has climbed above $100 per share; yet, I believe the stock remains a bargain, given its AI-fueled growth and overall investments to secure dominance in AI. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. For its upcoming results, investors will be eager to see if Meta can maintain its momentum, and given the company's relentless focus on maximizing monetization potential and advertising efficiency, I feel this is going to be another blockbuster quarter. The stock also appears reasonably valued to this day despite the recent share price gains. Thus, I remain firmly Bullish on the stock. Q1 Recap: AI and User Engagement Power Record Results To get a sense of where Meta's coming from heading into its Q2 results, keep in mind that Q1 was nothing short of spectacular, with revenue soaring to $42.3 billion, up 16% YoY, while beating estimates by nearly $1 billion. The company's Family Daily Active People (DAP) hit 3.43 billion, up 6%, showcasing sticky user engagement across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. AI-driven content recommendations fueled a 5% rise in ad impressions and a 10% increase in average ad prices, with Instagram Reels alone posting 20% year-over-year growth. In the meantime, Meta AI, approaching 1 billion monthly active users and over 3 billion across its app suite, has become a cornerstone of personalized content delivery, enhancing engagement and ad performance. Profitability was equally impressive, with Meta's operating margin expanding to 41% from 38% last year, driven by cost discipline and economies of scale within the Family of Apps segment. Despite Reality Labs posting a $4.2 billion operating loss, the core ad business generated $21.8 billion in operating income, powering a 35% surge in net income to $16.6 billion and a 37% jump in EPS to $6.43, well ahead of Wall Street's $5.25 forecast. One notable contributor here was Meta's notable investment in AI infrastructure, including models like Llama, which continues to optimize ad delivery and user retention, setting the stage for sustained growth without compromising gross margins. What Investors Should Watch Out for in Q2 As Meta heads into its Q2 earnings, Wall Street appears to be filled with optimism, as evidenced by the share price; yet, I would argue that expectations are tempered given the rather conservative estimates. Specifically, consensus projects Q2 revenue of $44.79 billion, only a 14.6% YoY increase, all while EPS is forecasted at $5.86, reflecting 13.5% growth over Q2 of 2024. Now, these figures do align with Meta's guidance of $42.5-$45.5 billion in revenue, supported by a 1% foreign currency tailwind. However, they are pretty conservative in my view, given Meta's ongoing momentum, as well as the fact that Meta has consistently beaten its outlook. In fact, Meta has beaten EPS and revenue estimates nine times in a row and is odds-on to make it ten out of ten this week. Regardless, I will be looking for progress on several key areas. First, the impact of AI on ad performance, primarily through tools like Advantage+ and the subsequent effect on conversions. Second, engagement metrics, especially time spent on Instagram and Facebook, will signal whether Meta's recommendation systems are keeping users increasingly engaged. Third, I will be checking for updates on WhatsApp monetization, with its 100 million business users that could unlock significant revenue potential. Finally, capital expenditure guidance, expected to be $64-$72 billion for 2025, will be scrutinized as Meta ramps up AI infrastructure investments. Valuation: Still a Bargain Despite the Run-Up While entering an earnings report following a rally can raise caution, I believe Meta's valuation still presents a compelling opportunity. At approximately 28x Wall Street's FY2025 EPS estimate of $25.73, the stock looks attractively priced for a company with a track record of 35%+ annual EPS growth—and 37% growth in Q1 alone. According to TipRanks data, META's profit margin has climbed consistently from just above 12% in Q4 2022 to over 36% today. My own forecast places 2025 EPS in the $29–$30 range, supported by continued ad strength, AI-driven efficiencies, and expanding margins. Even based on the Street's more conservative $25.47 estimate, Meta's forward P/E remains below that of peers like Microsoft and Amazon, despite outpacing Apple and Alphabet in earnings growth. Is META a Good Stock to Buy Now? Wall Street remains quite optimistic on Meta, with the stock carrying a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 41 Buy and four Hold recommendations over the past three months. Notably, not a single analyst rates the stock a Sell. However, META's average stock price target of $761.55 suggests a somewhat constrained 6.12% upside from current levels. Meta's AI-Powered Dominance Set to Continue All things considered, Meta continues to execute at an elite level, with strong fundamentals, accelerating AI tailwinds, and a clear path to monetization across its core platforms. While expectations for Q2 are modest, I see plenty of room for upside given the company's track record of consistent outperformance. Between robust engagement, ad efficiency gains, and compelling valuation, I view Meta as one of the best opportunities in large-cap tech today. I'll be watching closely on Wednesday, but my conviction remains Bullish heading into the big announcement tomorrow afternoon.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
U.S. and China Extend Tariff Pause Another 90 Days
Ahead of trade talks in Stockholm that are set to begin today, The South China Morning Post reports that, according to sources close to the matter on both sides, the US and China are set to extend their tariff truced by another three months. China and the United States agreed in May to remove most of the heavy tariffs levied on each other's goods for 90 days while continuing trade negotiations. That suspension is set to expire on August 12. SCMP reports that one source said that, during the expected 90-day extension, the two nations will commit to not impose additional tariffs on each other, nor escalate the trade war by other means. People's Daily, the mouthpiece of China's ruling Communist Party, said in an editorial on Sunday that Beijing was willing to work with Washington to make "substantive progress" in resolving issues during the coming trade talks in the Swedish capital. the newspaper said. "It is willing to work with the US to take the economic and trade talks in Sweden as an opportunity to continuously enhance consensus, accumulate mutual trust, reduce misjudgments and strengthen cooperation." While analysts have welcomed the continuation of discussions, most do not expect any sweeping changes to emerge from the negotiations in Stockholm. Niklas Swanstrom, director of the Institute for Security and Development Policy, a think tank based in Stockholm, said ahead of the talks. By More Top Reads From this article on
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Yahoo
ASEAN media workshop explores AI transformation
HONG KONG, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from The artificial-intelligence revolution is transforming industries worldwide, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and formidable challenges for media transformation. To address these critical issues, the ASEAN Media Capacity Building Workshop was successfully held in Hong Kong from July 14 through Saturday, gathering over 20 senior media professionals from within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to explore effective strategies for navigating the AI era and its profound implications for media development. Participants examined AI's dual impact on media during the workshop. While AI significantly enhances reporting efficiency, an overreliance on AI may lead to serious factual errors in journalism, tutors from China Daily highlighted at the workshop courses. Reporters need to leverage the strengths of AI, such as its ability to detect spelling and grammatical errors, rather than allowing it to take control of everything during reporting, the tutors said. Doan Minh Anh, a reporter at VietnamPlus of the Vietnam News Agency, said at the workshop that journalists must always maintain confidence in themselves, as they are the true storytellers. Journalists should make good use of AI, rather than let AI control reporters, she added. Another key insight is that understanding audience preferences is also crucial for media transformation. Zhong Zhen, managing director from Xiaohongshu's Greater Bay Area E-commerce Operating Center, stressed the importance of knowing more about the needs of users and creating content with a human touch. "Content needs to resonate emotionally with users. This is the secret to Xiaohongshu's popularity," Zhong said. During the workshop, reporters and journalists from various ASEAN countries had discussions about the future of traditional media, especially in the context of key opinion leaders. Justin Clarence Lao Tembresa, CEO of Lannang Studios, a media company in the Philippines, emphasized the need for traditional media to enhance the quality of its content to remain relevant in today's digital age. The key is combining traditional media's strengths with new technologies while maintaining content warmth, he added. Participants in the workshop also engaged in an in-depth discussion about photography equipment, mobile shooting, and script design under the guidance of their instructors. Tutors from China Daily provided a detailed demonstration of various shooting devices, including pocket cameras, drones, and action cameras, while explaining composition and framing techniques. The journalists from ASEAN countries showed great curiosity about mobile photography accessories, continuing their enthusiastic discussions about the equipment even after the session ended. Reporters and journalists visited multiple sites in Hong Kong, including Cyberport, and the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. These visits provided the media professionals with comprehensive insights into Hong Kong's technological advancements, legislative framework, and media landscape. Participants also visited notable sites in Shenzhen, including the Shenzhen Nanshan Energy Ecological Park, which showcases China's commitment to green economic development. Soo Wern Jun, a senior journalist from the Malay Mail newspaper of Kuala Lumpur, said the park is a model of energy conservation and environmental responsibility. She said she hopes to bring back the lessons learned at the conference back to Malaysia. The event is jointly organized by the Chinese Mission to ASEAN and China Daily. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE
