Proposal lists 34 Broward colleges ‘to be addressed’ as enrollment declines

A brand new effort to grapple with dwindling enrollment in Broward colleges may influence 34 colleges, a few of which can be beneficial for closure.

The Faculty Board is scheduled to carry a workshop on Tuesday to debate Part 2 of “Redefining Broward County Public Faculties,” an initiative created to remove empty seats within the district, both by growing enrollment or closing or consolidating colleges.

The primary part, which took impact this faculty yr, resulted in one elementary faculty closing, 4 elementary colleges changing into Okay-8 colleges and one center faculty changing into a 6-12 faculty.

Part 2 seems to be to be extra aggressive, with three excessive colleges, 15 center colleges and 16 elementary colleges beneficial “to be addressed” in an upcoming boundary course of, in keeping with a presentation hooked up to the agenda for Tuesday’s assembly. That would imply something from an enlargement to closure.

The district has been seeking to “right-size” for the previous two years as pupil enrollment has plummeted about 35,000 during the last decade, and the district has about 45,000 empty seats. The declines have been attributed to elevated faculty selection choices, together with constitution colleges and personal faculty vouchers, in addition to decrease delivery charges and an exodus of households because of Broward’s excessive price of dwelling.

Whereas earlier makes an attempt to shut colleges have been criticized for focusing primarily on Fort Lauderdale and the southern a part of the county, this newest effort contains colleges from everywhere in the county, together with Coral Springs, Margate, Dawn and Plantation.

The presentation doesn’t cite any particular motion deliberate for any of the faculties on the listing.

“Within the presentation, the inclusion of colleges doesn’t imply they’re being closed,” district spokesman John Sullivan mentioned. “Redefining is about guaranteeing college students have one of the best alternatives for fulfillment. Whereas faculty closures could also be one possibility, so is the opportunity of introducing new academic experiences.”

District officers mentioned they’ll maintain conferences with affected communities to get enter earlier than any ultimate choices are made. Any modifications may begin within the 2026-27 faculty yr or later.

Many of the colleges on the listing meet the district’s definition of underenrolled, which is enrollment under 70% of its capability. Nonetheless, the listing contains some colleges that don’t meet the district’s pointers for closing. This contains Ramblewood and Sawgrass Springs Center in Coral Springs and Silver Path Center in Pembroke Pines, that are all near 80% full.

The three colleges “could function potential options to handle underenrollment of their surrounding areas and will additionally obtain further college students if crucial,” Sullivan mentioned.

Ramblewood and Sawgrass Springs are included as a part of a cluster of colleges within the northern a part of the county that the district plans to assessment. The opposite colleges are underenrolled: Coral Springs Center (52%), Forest Glen Center (64%) and Margate Center (67%).

The inclusion of Margate Center, which solely just lately fell under the 70% threshold, alarmed Board member Nora Rupert, who represents the varsity.

“I’m afraid of what that dialog is locally now, as a result of persons are frightened,” she mentioned. “Individuals are pondering their faculty’s closing. They’re simply beginning the brand new yr.”

She despatched a notice to district workers asking why it was included.