Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn is set to oversee cuts of up to 1,000 jobs annually for the next three years after the School Board approved a plan Tuesday to address budget shortfalls tied to declining student enrollment.
The board voted 6-3 in favor of School Board member Jeff Holness’ request to develop a multi-year staffing alignment plan. Officials said the measure, which is not expected to affect teachers, could save about $250 million annually. Holness is the only Jamaican-American member on the board, which represents a county home to thousands of Caribbean families.
“Whenever we have decline in the number of students, we automatically reduce the number of teachers,” Holness told the board. “The problem is we have not done the same with non-teaching staff over the past 10 to 15 years. … We are heavily overstaffed. Our school district is currently facing significant financial challenges due to years of not intentionally aligning staffing levels with declining student enrollment.”
The district has lost nearly 39,000 students over the past decade, but staffing numbers have only dropped from 21,835 to 20,847. Board member Allen Zeman said the district should have reduced staff more aggressively to match enrollment declines.
“You either stop talking about paying people well or you start doing things so we have money to do that. It’s just that simple,” Zeman said. “I want to pay teachers more.”
Under the approved plan, Hepburn must bring back a three-year staffing reduction proposal in June, which would reduce 3,000 positions over three consecutive years. Holness said the cuts would primarily target non-instructional staff, preserving teacher positions.
Superintendent Hepburn had already announced a plan to cut about 1,000 jobs this year, prompting some board members to question the need for a multi-year directive. Lori Alhadeff, who opposed the motion along with Nora Rupert and Chairwoman Sarah Leonardi, emphasized the need for flexibility.
“He’s doing the job, so let him do the job. Don’t dictate year one, year two, year three,” Alhadeff said. “He needs that flexibility not to have his back against the wall to a plan that was set today on March 10th, 2026. Things are going to change.”
Rupert added that she would prefer a plan tied to dollar savings rather than a fixed number of jobs. “You can cut 1,000 people who are making $20,000 a year or you could cut 1,000 people making $100,000 plus a year,” she said.
Holness added that while the district performs well academically, financial sustainability remains critical. “We must be resolute in taking action to put our District on a more stable financial path, where we can properly compensate our teachers and staff and efficiently meet the needs of our students,” he said.
Broward County Public Schools expects to lose another 9,000 students this coming school year. The board has been exploring other cost-saving measures, including closing under-enrolled schools, cutting coverage for weight-loss drugs for teachers, and job reductions through layoffs and attrition.
