Eastside School Merger Paused Through 2028
Families at Long Branch and R. L. Brown should watch Monday's School Board vote on the proposed pause.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Do you think your local schools are getting the investment they need?
Duval County Public Schools staff have recommended pausing school closures and consolidations in Jacksonville's Eastside through August 2028. The recommendation would delay the planned merger of Long Branch Elementary School and R. L. Brown Gifted and Talented Academy, affecting families in the historic Eastside neighborhood.
Why it matters
The pause would give the district more time to work with parents, residents and community partners before a combined school takes shape. School Board Member Reginald Blount said Jacksonville's ongoing growth was one reason leaders wanted to reassess the consolidation proposal.
The proposed pause runs through August 2028, which is later than the 2027 date the consolidation was previously pushed to. The School Board is expected to vote on the recommendation Monday.
The players
Duval County School Board
The elected body overseeing Duval County Public Schools, which approved the original plan to combine Long Branch Elementary and R. L. Brown Elementary and will vote on the pause recommendation.
Reginald Blount
School Board member representing District 5, who cited Jacksonville's ongoing growth as a reason for reassessing the consolidation.
The details
District officials presented the recommendation at a community meeting on Thursday, calling for a pause on school closures and consolidations in the Eastside. The original plan, approved by the Duval County School Board in December 2025, would combine Long Branch Elementary with R. L. Brown Elementary. Long Branch has served Jacksonville's historic Eastside since 1917, and parents said the proposed merger raises unresolved questions about enrollment, transportation and resources.
Timeline
Long Branch Elementary began serving Jacksonville's historic Eastside in 2017.
In December 2025, the Duval County School Board approved the plan to combine Long Branch with R. L. Brown Elementary.
The consolidation was pushed to 2027 to allow more time for community conversations.
District officials presented the pause recommendation at a community meeting on Thursday.
The School Board is scheduled to vote on the recommendation on Monday.
The Home Front
The Eastside consolidation debate sits within Jacksonville's broader growth, which Board Member Reginald Blount cited as a reason to reassess school boundaries and capacity. For families choosing where to buy or rent near historic Eastside neighborhoods, school assignment stability is one factor in local household planning.
If your child attends Long Branch Elementary or R. L. Brown, or you live within the Eastside attendance zones, watch for the Monday School Board vote and ask the district how enrollment, transportation and resourcing will be addressed. Keep your current school assignment documents on hand so you can compare them against any updated boundaries.
The takeaway
The pause gives Eastside families a longer window to weigh in before any merger takes effect, so it is worth attending or following the Monday School Board meeting. Keep your child's school records and attendance-zone information handy in case boundaries change.
What happens next
The Duval County School Board is scheduled to vote on the pause recommendation on Monday, which will determine whether the Long Branch and R. L. Brown consolidation proceeds or is delayed through August 2028.
Further reading
For more on how district leaders make these calls, browse our Administration coverage of school governance and planning.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Internewscast Journal.
Live Poll
Do you think your local schools are getting the investment they need?
