There’s no denying it. The total number of students attending traditional public schools in Broward County has been steadily declining for two decades — and district officials expect that trend to continue. Now they say big changes are needed to shore up the school system’s finances.
“We have to understand that the more money we spend on students that aren’t here, the less money we spend on students that are here,” Broward Superintendent Peter Licata said last month. “We’ve been spending money on empty seats for a long time.”
READ MORE: 'We're not going to piecemeal it': Broward could close many more than five schools in coming years
Licata and the Broward school board say the time has come for the district to cut its losses and come up with a plan to better leverage its remaining resources, through an initiative they’re calling “Redefining Our Schools”.
For weeks, district leaders and board members have been holding town halls and meetings to hear from teachers, parents, students and community leaders about what they want from their public schools.
On Wednesday March 20, the school board will hold its first workshop on the “Redefining Our Schools” plan. It’s a time for board members to hear recommendations from district staff and to debate their own priorities; no formal votes will be taken. Members of the public can also submit comments or sign up to speak.
A livestream of the meeting will be available here. The board will hold another workshop on the “Redefining Our Schools” initiative on May 14. A final vote on the plan is expected to come in June.
Here’s five things to know ahead of this week’s meeting:
1. At least five schools will be affected — and maybe many more.
Back in July of 2023, the school board directed Superintendent Peter Licata to come up with a proposal to repurpose at least five schools by July 2024, with a one-year transition period. In recent months, Licata and some board members have suggested that it may be in the district’s best interest to close or consolidate way more than five schools.
Board Member Daniel Foganholi has thrown out a much larger number: 40 schools. District officials have made clear that closure and consolidation are not the only options they’re considering to boost enrollment and better utilize district resources. Other options include:
- Turning a traditional school into a full choice school
- Changing the grade level configuration (e.g. turning a K-5 school into a K-8 school)
- Merging schools
- Changing school boundaries
- Repurposing schools for other community uses
- Leasing or selling school properties
2. There are nearly 50,000 empty seats in Broward classrooms.
According to a district analysis, Broward County Public Schools reached its all-time high enrollment of 259,130 students in the 2004-2005 school year. Since then, the district has lost more than 57,000 students — a 22% drop from the halcyon days of 2004.
There are many factors pushing and pulling students out of public schools, but COVID marked a new era in the exodus — BCPS lost nearly 9,000 students in the 2020-2021 school year alone. After the panic of pandemic shutdowns and the chaos of virtual school, many families fled to charter schools, private schools, microschools and home schools — and never came back.
In addition to the massive expansion in school choice, district staff say another key factor is the relative lack of housing in Broward County. Compared to other parts of South Florida, Broward County lags far behind in the number of new housing permits issued. Some advocates argue changes to local zoning policies are needed to allow more multifamily housing — duplexes, townhouses and apartments — in areas where single family homes are the law of the land.
3. While under-enrollment is a problem, some schools are over-enrolled.
So far, the district has not released a list of schools that are slated for consolidation or closure. It has published a list of 68 schools that are formally considered under-enrolled, that is, operating at less than 70% capacity.
A detailed staff analysis and countywide maps paint a picture of how the enrollment crunch varies widely across different schools and different communities. One area that stands out is southwest Broward, which has a high concentration of charter schools. It’s also home to Pines Middle, which at 34% capacity is the most under-enrolled school in the district. Meanwhile, neighboring Pioneer Middle is at 123% capacity.
4. BCPS is taking into account its history of racial segregation.
A key concern for some families and educators is that the costs of consolidating public schools will fall heaviest on communities of color and other historically marginalized groups — and schools with the least resources.
A staff analysis notes that from its inception in 1915 until the mid 1960s, BPCS operated “fully racially segregated schools” — barring Black children from going to school with their white peers until court-mandated desegregation. Ten of those formerly all-Black schools are still in operation today — and some are under-enrolled. But the district’s staff analysis notes that BCPS officials recognize “the trauma engendered by racial segregation” and how that history is shaping the school system’s current dynamics.
“The very important role that these schools have played in the history of Broward County, and for the Civil Rights movement as whole should always inform any discussions around the future use of these facilities,” the analysis says.
5. You can have a say.
BCPS wants to hear from teachers, students, parents, local leaders and elected officials to get a better sense of what the community wants from its public schools. The district has hosted a series of town halls to survey local residents on their wants and needs.
Members of the public can also submit written public comments, or sign up to speak at the workshops on March 20 and May 14, or at the board meeting in June. These will take place at the school board's headquarters on 600 SE Third Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, 33301.
The workshop on March 20 is set to start at 9 a.m., although there will be other items on the agenda. You can find details on how to participate here.
The district is also looking to partner with faith organizations, clubs and civic groups to hold focus groups. If you’re interested in hosting a discussion between March and May, email redefiningbcps@browardschools.com.
