Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Tough Assignment

With students flooding in, Clay County schools must raise $368.5 million over the next five years to build schools and upgrade existing ones. A survey conducted by the district, based on state enrollment projections and reports from individual schools, found the district needs five new elementary schools, one junior high and a high school before 2010 to keep up with growth. Currently, school officials say state and local funding will only cover $84 million in construction. State projections show district enrollment will increase from 33,279 to more than 40,000 by 2010.