Miami elementary school to close, convert into early learning center after dwindling enrollment

Declining public-school enrollment in Miami, Florida, has spurred the decision to close one elementary school and convert it into an early learning center.

The school board voted for the closure…

Declining public-school enrollment in Miami, Florida, has spurred the decision to close one elementary school and convert it into an early learning center.

The school board voted for the closure of Broward Estates Elementary School after more than a year of research originally designed to shut down five schools, according to the Miami Herald.

“This process is not just about closing schools – it’s about creating opportunities, meeting the diverse needs of every child and ensuring families feel confident in choosing Broward County Public Schools,” said Superintendent Howard Hepburn during the board meeting. “I want to emphasize that this is just the beginning.”

The county has faced decades-long dwindling enrollment, falling by 22% from 259,130 in the 2004-05 academic year to just over 201,000 in the 2023-24 year.

“There are about 45,000 empty seats in the district, equivalent to about 50 schools,” wrote Amanda Rosa for the Miami Herald. “Broward Estates, with a student body of about 200, is at 36% capacity.”

Choosing ‘to kick the can’ instead of reforming systems 

The district should commit to closing even more schools, board member Allen Zeman warned – arguing the number of closings should rise to 33 instead of the original five.

“We have chosen, for those past 23 years during that decline in enrollment, to kick the can, to do very little, to not offend people or parents or communities, even though that offense would create a better system,” he said.

“What’s so frustrating from an operational perspective is that the schools with the lowest enrollment – they’re using the least capacity – are costing the most per student.”

Other public-school districts across the nation are facing the same issues, including San Francisco and Denver.

“Declining student enrollment, the expiration of COVID-relief funding, and increased operating costs have contributed to SFUSD’s significant structural deficit,” wrote Superintendent Matt Wayne in a statement proposing the closure or merging of 11 schools. “This is not a sustainable approach to meet the needs of our students.”

Such decisions often raise community anger, especially in Denver where parents expressed concerns over the educational outcomes from closing schools.

“Not only do some parents question the data used to determine which schools would be on the chopping block, they also say it doesn’t help improve students’ education simply by moving them to schools with greater enrollment,” wrote Gabriela Vidal for CBS News in Colorado.

Sara Nakon, a mom of two girls, described her reactions over the recommendations as ranging from shock to anger.

“We do have smaller class sizes. I chose that on purpose,” she said, noting the closures would force her children to join more crowded classrooms. “I don’t want my kids in a 36-person class.”