Enrollment in Broward County schools plummeted this year, with preliminary figures showing a drop of 9,498 students on the first day of school, marking a continuation of a decades-long decline.
According to the school district, total enrollment fell from 249,563 to 240,065 compared with the same day last year. Traditional district-run schools accounted for most of the decline, losing 8,733 students, while charter schools saw a smaller drop of 765 students.
The decrease comes despite a strong academic showing. Most schools, both district-run and charter, earned A or B grades from the state, and the district maintained an overall A for the second consecutive year.
District leaders pointed to several factors behind the decline, including lower birth rates, families leaving due to financial pressures, and increased use of vouchers for private and home schooling. “Parents have more options,” said School Board member Adam Cervera. “We’ve got to get our act together and do a better job of fixing the things that are wrong, and for the things we do right, we’ve got to do a better job of getting the message out.”
Enrollment declines were seen even in traditionally high-growth areas such as Weston and Davie. Cypress Bay High in Weston, the state’s largest high school, fell by nearly 200 students. Tequesta Trace Middle School lost 118, and several elementary schools also reported losses. In Davie, Western High saw a drop of 294 students, while multiple elementary schools lost between 73 and 78 students each.
The district’s ongoing effort to convert elementary schools into K-8 academies had mixed results. New K-8 schools, including Silver Shores STEAM Academy, Hollywood Central Preparatory, and Coconut Creek K-8 Academy of Excellence, added only modest net enrollment as nearby middle schools experienced larger declines. For example, Silver Shores gained 50 sixth graders but lost students in other grades, resulting in a net increase of just seven students, while Glades Middle lost 174.
Superintendent Howard Hepburn said he expects to recommend school closures due to low enrollment, noting that Broward has lost 35,000 students over the past decade and has more than 45,000 empty seats.
Charter schools, which had experienced decades of growth, also saw a slight decline, falling from 49,323 to 48,558 students. Despite the decreases, some schools bucked the trend: Nova High in Davie gained 113 students, and Northeast High added 162 students after years of declining enrollment.
As Broward schools face these continued enrollment challenges, officials say they will need to balance academic performance, facility use, and demographic changes while making decisions about school closures and future K-8 expansions.
