Alachua County Public School families:

You have a critical decision to make, one that will affect our children, teachers and schools for at least the next four years.

Very soon, you and other Alachua County residents will have the chance to vote on the renewal of the One Mill for Schools. The One Mill supports more than 320 jobs in the district, almost all of them teachers serving your children. They include art, music, band, and chorus teachers, school counselors, librarians, and career-tech and academic magnet teachers. The One Mill guarantees a nurse in every school. It is also the main source of funding for classroom technology, including the laptops and hotspots distributed to thousands of local families since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Because the One Mill has been in place since it was first approved by voters in 2008, renewing it will not increase anyone’s school property taxes. In fact, almost all property owners in Alachua County will actually be paying less in school taxes this year than they did last year.

The existing independent citizens’ oversight committee will remain in place to ensure that One Mill dollars continue to be spent as voters intended.

The deadline to register to vote in this year’s election is October 5.  You can register by mail, online and in person. To find out how to register, you can visit the Supervisor of Elections’ website at www.votealachua.com. You will also find sample ballots and information on voting at that site.

However you plan to vote, I encourage you to learn more about the One Mill before you make your choice. During this critical time, when Alachua County schools and those across Florida are facing a financial crisis even worse than the Great Recession, it is important to our students and teachers that your voices are heard.

Sincerely,

Karen Clarke, Superintendent
Alachua County Public Schools