Broward weighs new plans for two Coral Springs schools facing closure

Broward County school officials are considering new options for two Coral Springs schools facing possible closure, including proposals that could keep one campus open and send students from another to a single nearby elementary school.

The options come as the district confronts sharply declining enrollment at Coral Springs Elementary and Forest Glen Middle School.

According to the district's latest enrollment figures, Coral Springs Elementary has 297 students in a building with capacity for 871, while Forest Glen Middle has 742 students and capacity for 1,627.

The numbers, based on enrollment as of Sept. 14, will be presented to the Broward County School Board at a workshop Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The board will also review alternatives developed after seven community town halls held across the district in September. No vote is scheduled Tuesday, but board members will provide feedback on which schools should remain under consideration for closure.

The district originally proposed closing 10 schools following years of enrollment declines. The schools are Banyan Elementary in Sunrise, Coral Springs Elementary, Silver Lakes Elementary in Miramar, Dolphin Bay Elementary, Hollywood Park Elementary, Lloyd Estates Elementary in Oakland Park, Oakridge Elementary in Hollywood, Forest Glen Middle in Coral Springs, Walter C. Young Middle in Pembroke Pines and William Dandy Middle in Fort Lauderdale.

The proposed closures are part of an effort to address a districtwide enrollment decline of about 48,000 students over the past decade.

For Coral Springs Elementary, the original plan would divide students between Eagle Ridge and Parkside elementary schools. A new option would instead send all Coral Springs Elementary students to Parkside, which currently has 595 students and capacity for 980.

Forest Glen has three options under consideration.

The original proposal would keep sixth graders at Coral Park, Forest Hills, James S. Hunt and Park Springs elementary schools and convert Coral Springs High School into a campus serving grades 7 through 12.

A second option would distribute Forest Glen students among nearby middle schools with available capacity, including Coral Springs Middle, Ramblewood Middle and Lyons Creek Middle in Coconut Creek.

The third option, proposed by residents, would keep Forest Glen open and add a performing arts program in an effort to attract more students.

About 160 people attended a Sept. 14 community meeting at Coral Springs High School, according to the district. Feedback included concerns about placing middle school students on a high school campus.

The district estimates that closing Coral Springs Elementary would save about $746,000 annually after accounting for busing costs. Closing Forest Glen is projected to save about $1.2 million a year.

Both schools have experienced substantial enrollment declines in recent years. Coral Springs Elementary had 727 students in the 2017-18 school year, compared with 297 this year. Forest Glen's enrollment fell from 1,386 students in 2017-18 to 742.

The enrollment pressure extends across Broward County. District-run schools have 177,575 students this year, down 10,272 from last year, leaving 61,761 seats vacant.

Following Tuesday's workshop, the proposals will go to a boundary committee for further review. Another School Board workshop is scheduled for Nov. 4, while Hepburn's final recommendations are due Nov. 5.

The School Board is scheduled to vote on the closures and other changes Dec. 15. If approved, the changes would take effect for the 2027-28 school year.