We are officially an A-rated school district!” shouted Broward County School Board member Debbi Hixon at a celebratory event in July, 2024. The district received its first “A” grade for its 2023/24 school year from the state of Florida. The recognition was the first time the district received the state’s highest rating in 14 years, and it has maintained that rating since.
The “A” grade has been a point of pride for Broward school board members and administrators. It is also a bit surprising. The school system has been the center of political turmoil since the Parkland tragedy and has had a virtual revolving door of superintendents over the past five years.
With declining enrollment, school administrators face the biggest challenges of their careers. An unexpectedly large decrease in student enrollment this year has left Broward Schools with about 10,00 fewer students than expected and a budget shortfall of almost $100 Million.
At a press conference on January 12th in Davie, Governor Ron DeSantis said the leadership of the Broward School District has been a “disaster.”
“It is really run to benefit the entrenched interests, particularly the school unions, rather than the parents and the students.”
DeSantis went on to say the Education commissioner would determine what authority can be used to correct the problems at the District.
“There’s a handful of spots around the State where, maybe, thrusting some of these entities into receivership may be the best way going forward,” DeSantis said. “I think you could work things out pretty quickly.”
Enrollment
Enrollment in Broward County Public Schools has been declining for more than seven years and is expected to continue to decline over the next decade. The causes of the decline in student numbers include societal changes, Florida’s unique demographics, and the expansion of school choice initiatives across the state.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the birth rate in Broward County has declined from about 14 per 1,000 people to 10 over the past 20 years. The required number of births to maintain a stable population without migration is about 20. This trend is not unique to Broward County and is consistent with Florida and, more generally, the developed world.
There are simply fewer school-aged kids in the county, and the number is likely to decline in the coming years.
Exacerbating the population change are changes in Florida’s approach to public education. In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed major legislation that significantly expanded state funding for private school education by broadening access to publicly funded school vouchers and scholarship programs.
The state eliminated income eligibility requirements and enrollment caps for Florida’s primary school choice scholarship programs. These changes allow any K-12 student to receive public scholarship funds to attend a private school if they choose. The change accelerated enrollment declines across Florida. South Florida counties were particularly impacted by the new rules.
Budget Impact
Broward has 10,000 fewer students than last year, digging a $94 million budget hole for the district, which gets government funding based on student headcount. In five years, Broward County Public Schools is projected to lose over 25,000 students, according to district data.
Enrollment declines have blown a virtual hole in the County’s school finances. Approximately 35% of the district’s annual budget comes from the state. The majority of state funds are determined by the number of enrolled students. Put simply, declining student numbers are driving reduced state funding.
Reducing spending, however, is more difficult. Contracts for services, long-term capital improvement programs, and union contracts make cost-cutting efforts challenging.
The rapid decline in enrollment, coupled with losses in state funding and difficulties in reducing costs, created a budget crisis.
School Closures
At an emotionally charged board meeting on January 21, Broward Superintendent Howard Hepburn recommended closing seven schools for the 2026/27 school year. The plan is the first step in an effort to shave the district millions of dollars.
“ We cannot continue to spend money on buildings that we could spend on the students we have or the students we want to win back,” said Broward School Board member Allen Zeman during the meeting.
The School Board voted to close six of the seven proposed schools.
Bair Middle School in Sunrise was the only school recommended to close that was saved. Jeff Holness, the school board member who represents District 5, asked his colleagues to keep Bair open. Anna Fusco, the president of the teachers’ union, said there was a plan to help Bair grow.
“I don’t see how any city is going to operate with just one middle school,” Fusco told the school board members about Sunrise. Mark S. Lubelski, Sunrise’s city manager, said the mayor and several commissioners were working on a plan for the City of Sunrise to invest in Blair Middle School to help save it.
Last year Broward Estates Elementary in Lauderhill was closed. The building was ‘repurposed,’ as school board members describe the transition, into an early learning center. It is unclear what will be done with the closed schools’ properties.
Continued Political Pressure
Prior to the School Board Meeting addressing the school closings, renewed demands to review past spending decisions were raised by the newest School Board member, who was appointed to the board by the Governor late last year.
Shortly after Governor DeSantis’ critique of Broward Schools, board member Adam Cervera attacked school administrators for “operational failures” and requested the state Chief Financial Officer to review the school system’s books.
Cervera called out the district saying, “The district owes it to every resident of Broward County to be good stewards of every tax dollar entrusted to us. Unfortunately, this district has fallen short.” he demanded a “full scale review” into alleged wasteful spending.
The meeting follows the announcement by school board member Lori Alhadeff that she will not seek reelection. Alhadeff intends to pursue her advocacy for school safety at a national level.
This year’s school closings are likely the beginning of a transition for the nation’s sixth-largest school district. Whether Broward County Public Schools continues as the “default provider” of education or transform into one option among many competing for students remains to be seen.
