Broward parents and school board divided over school closures

After weeks of back-and-forth and extensive community engagement, the Broward School Board now has a new plan that could close eight schools within the county for the upcoming 2025-26 school year.

The decision, which comes amidst efforts to address low enrollment, has sparked mixed reactions from parents and officials alike.

The specific schools slated for closure have not yet been disclosed, leaving many families in suspense about the fate of their children's education.

Just last week, Superintendent Howard Hepburn had taken the closure plan off the table and people with ties to the specific facilities were ecstatic. The initial proposal to close schools such as Olsen Middle in Dania Beach, Oakridge Elementary in Hollywood, and Broward Estates Elementary in Lauderhill faced resistance from parents, prompting a reevaluation of the plan.

Instead of closing the schools, Hepburn recommended changing programs or the grade configurations of a few schools, hoping the efforts would attract more students and state revenue. That plan was also rejected during Tuesday's meeting.

During the five-hour workshop, board members realized the necessity of closing facilities, and doing so sooner than later. The superintendent was directed to identify eight schools that would have to shut down.

"I think school closures are tough on any community, so I do expect — I wouldn’t say backlash — I would expect folks to come out and advocate for their schools," remarked Superintendent Hepburn at the end of the meeting.

A necessary move

With approximately 50,000 vacant seats district-wide, board members like Dr. Allen Zeman argue that closing schools is necessary to optimize resources and ensure quality education for students.

"If you want us to offer great education to your children and create the Broward County of tomorrow, you want us to close campuses," asserted Dr. Zeman. "And you want us to spend that money educating your students."

The debate over which schools should close reflects differing opinions among stakeholders. While some advocate for a balanced approach across all districts, others emphasize targeting areas with significant under-enrollment, particularly in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar, and Pembroke Pines.

"It's not frustrating because I think it's very important for me, myself, (and) my colleagues to be able to talk about what we'd like to see, how we'd like more community input into the plan, what that process looks like, what the timeline is," Lori Alhadeff, Broward County Public Schools Board Chairperson said.

While some parents seem to be against the closures, others say if it is necessary, it should be done as soon as possible.

"If they would just be honest, at the end of the day we have to rip off the band-aid and keep it moving," Narnike Pierre-Grant, a parent and district advisor said. "Are we going to make everybody happy? No. Are we going to have some kids being disrupted? Yes. Is that going to be an issue? Yes. But if we're saying we're going to work together to make this happen. We have to work together to make this ... we have to make this as painless as possible for all."

A special meeting has been scheduled for May 29th to hear recommendations on the school closures, with a final decision expected on June 18th.

Read more: 42 Broward schools face the possibility of closure due to under-enrollment