Broward schools alert 300 employees their jobs may be cut
South Florida Sun Sentinel | By Scott Travis |
The Broward School District notified 300 employees on Wednesday that their jobs may be eliminated after this school year as part of a cost-cutting reorganization plan.
The positions include 11 elementary school counselors, 17 exceptional student education counselors, 16 social workers, 21 clerical support assistants and 40 district management positions, according to a document provided by the school district.
The proposed cuts also include 53 non-teaching positions associated with schools that are closing in the 2026-27 school year, district spokesman John Sullivan said. The cuts are subject to School Board approval.
None of the district’s highest-paid chief executives are recommended to be cut, a proposed organization chart shows.
In total, the district is eliminating the 856 positions, most of which are already unfilled. The total includes some positions that were on the books but not actually funded during the 2025-26 school year, a district document states. The total savings for 512 filled and unfilled positions that were funded this school year is about $45 million, an executive summary states.
The school district released the list of jobs — without the names of employees — on Wednesday night in preparation for a School Board workshop scheduled for Tuesday on Superintendent Howard Hepburn’s proposed reorganization. Affected employees were notified Wednesday.
The district is trying to “right size” due to years of declining enrollment. The School Board directed Hepburn to cut 1,000 jobs per year for the next three years.
Hepburn said in a statement it was difficult to inform district employees their jobs are being eliminated.
“We are grateful for their service and the lasting impact they have made on our students and schools,” Hepburn said in a statement. “These decisions are driven by sustained declining enrollment and the resulting loss of funding. The proposed organizational chart reflects the need to responsibly align resources while protecting classrooms and continuing to serve our students and community for years to come.”
Not all employees will be laid off. In some cases, the district is creating new lower-paid positions, so a director may be moved to an assistant director, Sullivan said. Some employees will also be eligible to be recalled if positions open up, and employees can apply for other positions, he said.
