With enrollment continuing to fall, the Broward County (Florida) school district plans to close or overhaul at least five schools in 2025.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the district is holding public forums, community meetings and board workshops as it tries to determine which campuses it will close. A decision is expected by June.
The district says a third of its schools—68 campuses—are considered underenrolled—student numbes that are less than 70% its capacity. a third of all schools
In total, the district has 54,100 empty seats. Enrollment is expected to decline by another 4,300 students this fall.
With enrollment dropping and federal Covid aid ending, Broward schools are facingn a budget crisis, School Board members say. They directed, who started in July, to develop a plan to close or repurpose at least five schools.
“We’ve been spending money on empty seats for a long time, and we have to face the harsh reality that there are not 54,100 students out there for us to regain,” Superintendent Peter Licata says.
The school that appears the most vulnerable is Pines Middle in Pembroke Pines, where 1,159 of its 1,769 seats are empty. With enrollment of 35% of capacity, it’s the most underenrolled school in the county.
