St Johns County School District Compass Program
What is it: St. Johns County families can choose St. Johns Compass for the ability to combine personalized learning with a trusted public-school institution. Through Compass, students can:
- Customize their learning path based on unique academic goals and interests.
- Learn from certified St. Johns County teachers through in-person or St. Johns Virtual School instruction.
- Experience academic growth in a structured, supportive environment.
- Build meaningful peer relationships through classroom engagement.
- Benefit from high-quality curriculum and school-based resources.
Eligibility
- Family Empowerment Scholarship – Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
- Family Empowerment Scholarship – Education Options (FES-EO)
- Florida Tax Credit Personalized Education Program (FTC-PEP)
The district may need to hire more staff to manage the growing program despite budget constraints. The district can now receive voucher funds for scholarship students attending courses in public schools as long as there is space available. Fees collected are tracked separately to potentially support teachers through stipends or bonuses. The district plans to monitor scholarship students’ academic progress to ensure they meet the standards. The compass is limited to county residents only and a maximum of 3 courses per student, with plans to expand.
A choice coordinator guides families to appropriate courses based on student history but cannot prohibit enrollment. The district will market through the district’s website, and social media to attract more families. The ultimate goal is to convert scholarship students into full-time district students. Future considerations -raising course fees, admitting out of county students and expanding course offerings.
Senate Bill 538– authorizes district school boards to adopt policies for using funds to support extracurricular activities and specifies eligibility requirements for students participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic activities. It requires athletic directors or appropriate administrators to maintain records of eligible students and allows public schools to assess activity fees for certain students. The bill also restricts students from participating in extracurricular activities at multiple schools within the same year unless specific criteria are met.
Coach Compensation: The bill addresses long-standing issues with low pay for high school coaches. It allows funds generated by booster clubs to be used for additional coach pay, except for severance, and permits coaches classified as administrative personnel to negotiate higher salaries with superintendents, up to the highest-paid administrator in their district. This change aims to better compensate coaches for the extensive hours and responsibilities required by their roles
Funding Structure – current funding generation and distribution procedures lack clear definition and policies in school districts. Equity concern – Senate Bill 538 raises internal and external equity issues within and across school districts. Compensation model – The district has a procedure in place for supplements which are based on a point system tied to staffing time, and responsibilities, with recent increase.
Bill 538 impacts the following:
Title IX – is a federal law enacted in 1972 that prohibits sex-based discriminate. Title IX -compliance challenges and requires careful evaluation.
Extended season pay – District compensates coaches for extended time during state-level competitions with additional supplements.
Travel ball – compensation applies only to school-affiliated coaches, excluding external youth sports organizations.
Legislative outlook – no anticipated changes to bill 538 this session, districts are encouraged to evaluate impact carefully. Timeline – the law goes into effect May, allowing districts time to assess and adjust policies.
The district is implementing a new facility system called Facilitron which will use a system to standardize rental processes and introduce preferred rates for district coaches and directors. There will be 2 user groups a Youth Athletic and Artistic Camps led by a SJCSD Head Coach/Head Direct and Off-Season Athletic Activities Led by SJCSD Head Coach. Rates are inconsistent across schools but vary by facility type, with coaches receiving significant discounts. For Off-Season – district reviews and approves off-season athletic activities, supporting coaching and student development.
Coaches can run camps without facility rental fees, which will benefit club accounts and student participition. There will be preferred rental rates to support coaches by valuing their time, reducing financial barriers and boosting morale.
Student benefits creates more development opportunities and affordable participation.
Community Impact – athletic facilities serve as community assets, fostering school connections and future recruitment.
Program Management – preferred rates enable clear guidelines, accountability, and expanded opportunities for teams.
Attendance Strategy for 2026-2027 school year
Attendance – the district prioritizes attendance as a major goal for 2026-2027 school year. Chronic absenteeism focus – the initiative targets reducing chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of instruction.
Academic Impact – Chronic absenteeism significantly lowers student achievement and increases drop out risk.
The 4 pieces of the framework – strategy builds on capacity, actionable data, positive engagement and strategic partnerships.
September is Attendance Awareness Month – the “Every Day Matters” the campaign promotes daily attendance through parent communication and social media. Schools receive attendance challenges, incentives and a Schoology hub with strategies and resources,
Data driven monitoring – monthly data reviews identify chronically absent students to guide interventions and measure success.
Collaborative efforts – multiple departments and community partners collaborate with quarterly meetings to improve attendance.
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