Some of South Florida’s biggest employers are getting ready to finalize their annual budgets.
That’s right — it’s school district budget season.
South Florida’s public school systems are economic powerhouses, with hundreds of schools, tens of thousands of employees and multi-billion dollar budgets.
During the month of August, the region’s school boards will be taking public input on how to structure their finance plans, ahead of final votes in September.
Heading into the new school year, South Florida’s school districts are getting a boost from the recent spike in property values, which will allow them to raise more revenue. But those same cost of living trends are pushing many teachers and school staff toward a financial crisis.
“This was not a profession for me. This was a calling for me,” said Carolyn Flanagan, a language arts teacher at South Plantation High School. Flanagan is also on the executive board of the Broward Teachers Union.
“The social contract was, you do everything for your students — and we have — and at the end of 35 years, you’re not going to be rich,” Flanagan said, “but at least we thought we could live in a nice neighborhood … if you can afford to buy a home! Which most people cannot. Most teachers cannot. The social contract has been broken.”
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Under pressure to boost salaries and fill staff vacancies, districts are also bracing for the sunsetting of millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds, new mandates to divert more money to charter schools and private vouchers, and the prospect of further declines in student enrollment.
“This is going to be the highest budget we have in a very long time. Our budget will shrink next year. Because it is the plan to. Because one of the things holding up our budget right now is federal stimulus funds,” said Miami-Dade County Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Ron Steiger.
“As we move forward, we as a board and a district and an administration have to think really hard about what we’re going to do.”
Broward County Public Schools
- Total proposed budget of $5.3 billion
- Total proposed millage rate of 6.6156, up from 6.1383 for the 2022-2023 school year
- The total millage increase is largely due to voters approving a tax referendum in August 2022
- Includes increases for teacher raises, additional investments in school security
- Final budget vote scheduled for Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
- Total proposed budget of $7.3 billion
- Total proposed millage rate of 6.699, up from 6.589 for the 2022-2023 school year
- The total millage increase is largely due to voters approving a tax referendum in November 2022
- Includes funding to implement a campaign to recruit and retain students
- Final budget vote scheduled for Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.
Monroe County School District
- Total proposed budget of $299 million
- Total proposed millage rate of 2.8960, down from 2.9620 for the 2022-2023 school year
- If approved, the total millage rate would be the lowest it’s been since at least 2008
- To fill staff shortages, the district plans to hire "virtual teachers" for critical subject areas like science
- Board budget workshop on Aug. 22 at 5 p.m.
- Final budget vote scheduled for Sept. 5 at 5 p.m.
School District of Palm Beach County
- Total proposed budget of $5.2 billion
- Total proposed millage rate of 6.4570, down from 6.5190 for the 2022-2023 school year
- Includes new increases for school-based security efforts and programs aimed at recruiting and retaining staff
- Final budget vote scheduled for Sept. 6 at 5:05 p.m.
Members of the public can attend the school boards’ public meetings to weigh in on the proposed budgets or send in written public comments. Send your thoughts to the Broward board here, the Miami-Dade board here, the Monroe board here or the Palm Beach board here.
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