Broward schools superintendent warns of $358 million annual funding loss if referendum fails
Key Points(5)
- Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn is warning that the district could lose approximately $358 million in annual funding if voters reject the renewal of a school funding referendum in November.
- In a letter to the community, Hepburn urged voters to consider the potential impact on teacher and staff compensation, school safety and security, and mental health services supported by the referendum.
- The measure, listed as School Board Question 1 on the ballot, is a renewal of a referendum first approved by Broward County voters in 2018, following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
- According to Hepburn, the renewal would not impose a new tax.
- “If the referendum is not renewed, approximately $358 million in annual funding would no longer be available for these priorities — more than $1 billion over four years,” Hepburn wrote.
Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn is warning that the district could lose approximately $358 million in annual funding if voters reject the renewal of a school funding referendum in November.
In a letter to the community, Hepburn urged voters to consider the potential impact on teacher and staff compensation, school safety and security, and mental health services supported by the referendum.
The measure, listed as School Board Question 1 on the ballot, is a renewal of a referendum first approved by Broward County voters in 2018, following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. According to Hepburn, the renewal would not impose a new tax.
“If the referendum is not renewed, approximately $358 million in annual funding would no longer be available for these priorities — more than $1 billion over four years,” Hepburn wrote.
The funding supports compensation supplements for teachers and eligible employees, nearly 400 safety personnel and more than 200 mental health professionals, according to the superintendent.
Hepburn said the compensation supplements have helped the district recruit and retain employees in a competitive labour market, while safety and mental health personnel contribute to more supportive learning environments.
He also pointed to the district’s academic performance, noting that BCPS has received an A rating for three consecutive years, with no district-operated schools receiving D or F grades.
During the 2025-26 school year, 185 district-operated schools, or approximately 87%, earned A or B grades. That included 129 A-rated schools and 56 B-rated schools, according to figures cited by Hepburn.
The superintendent argued that public schools also contribute to the wider economy by supporting property values, attracting businesses and strengthening communities.
However, he acknowledged that declining enrolment has put pressure on the district’s finances, prompting BCPS to eliminate approximately 1,000 district-level positions, restructure its health care programme and close schools.
Those measures, along with other cost-cutting efforts, are generating approximately $100 million in recurring annual savings, he said.
“We will continue finding efficiencies and responsibly right-sizing our district,” Hepburn wrote. “But we cannot budget our way out of losing $358 million every year, particularly when those dollars are dedicated to compensation, safety and security, and mental health.”
Hepburn also addressed concerns about accountability, saying independent external audits found that referendum funds were spent appropriately and in accordance with the purposes authorised in the ballot language.
The referendum has supported district programmes for eight years, and Hepburn said its renewal would help BCPS continue investing in educators, school safety and student mental health.
“This November, that choice once again belongs to our community,” he wrote.
The vote is scheduled for November 3.
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