Archived -- Department of Education: FLORIDA

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

A Back to School Special Report on the Baby Boom Echo - August 1997

FLORIDA

Florida's total enrollment is expected to rise from 2,300,000 students in 1997 to 2,372,000 students in 2007. State records indicate that between 1992-93 and 2002-03, the high school population will increase by 39 percent, driving most of that growth. Florida has some of the largest school districts nationwide, and overcrowding tends to be an acute problem in these areas: four of the ten districts with the largest enrollment increases over the past ten years are in the Sunshine State.

The state legislature is currently struggling over how to measure the extent of overcrowding statewide: a new law allows most portables to be counted as permanent class space, resulting in the current classroom shortage becoming far less severe on paper. Governor Chiles is expected to call the state legislature back into special session some time before Thanksgiving to address the state school construction needs. Currently there are 32 schools under construction (21 of which are elementary) at an estimated cost of approximately $329 million, and 29 planned at a cost of $441 million. Renovation projects number over 100 (about 112) at an estimated cost of $307 million.

The Dade County School District in Miami is the fourth largest system in the nation, and is second only to New York City in enrollment increases between 1984 and 1994: the county's school population has grown 39 percent over that time period, from 231,277 students to 321,615 students. By 2001-02, school district officials estimate that enrollment will increase by seven percent. Overcrowding is a problem district wide; state officials estimate they are 60,000 student stations short. The district plans to build an additional 23 schools and two full service relocatables and has renovation plans for 63 existing schools. In March 1988, Dade County voters approved a $980 million bond issue.

Broward County School District, already the fifth largest school district in the country, has experienced a 56 percent increase in overall enrollment between 1984 (127,454 students) and 1994 (199,255 students), the fourth largest increase nationwide. The School Board has built 36 new schools over the past nine years, but continues to struggle to keep up with swelling demand. Schools suffer from extreme overcrowding; state officials estimate that they are short 34,000 student stations. To meet short term needs, the county relies on roughly 2,000 portable classrooms. Recent analyses suggest capital construction needs are estimated at $2.4 billion, with the School Board able to fund less than half of these costs. Mobilizing support to issue local bonds has been difficult, and a referendum to increase sales taxes by one percent in 1995 was overwhelmingly defeated.

The Orange County School District centered in Orlando has also experienced high growth between 1984 and 1994: their student population rose from 78,624 to 118,666 over that time period. State estimates project a 46 percent increase in their high school population over the next ten years. A recent needs assessment places the district's school construction needs at $3.2 billion over the next ten years. The district estimates its revenues at about $1.2 or $1.3 billion, representing an anticipated shortfall of about $2 billion. The district does not issue bonds, but is hoping to pass a one cent sales tax increase in the near future.

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