🌅 📚 Enrollment Drop Cost $7 Million

It's Wednesday! I'm heading to Vero Beach this morning to try Pig and Biscuit. I mentioned it a couple weeks ago when it opened, and it's been on my list ever since. My family's been raving about it, so I figured it was time to see what all the fuss is about.

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☀️ Day: High of 90°F | A morning shower, otherwise rather cloudy 70% chance of rain.
🌙 Night: Low of 76°F | Clouds breaking, humid. Winds ESE at 5 mph.
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At last night's school board meeting a board member asked directly about the $7.2 million budget shortfall that has been circulating in the community. The district answered it in public and on the record. And if you want the full picture, we sat down with Superintendent Dr. John Prince earlier this year and he walked through all of it in detail 🎙️.

Here is what happened.

The state funds school districts based on projected enrollment. St. Lucie Public Schools selected the most conservative projection model the state offered, which predicted enrollment would be up about 400 students. Instead enrollment dropped by about 150. That swing of roughly 550 students translated to about $7 million that the state pulled out of the district's budget mid year. At the same time, federal entitlement grant funding dropped by another $7.2 million in the same school year. Both hits landed at once.

What the district cut in response 📋:

Worth noting: No one was fired. Every eliminated position had a landing spot. The board confirmed that publicly last night.

Are they in a deficit right now? No. The district is required by the state to maintain a 3% reserve and they are in compliance. As Dr. Prince put it when we spoke with him: "Broward lost 10,000 students last year. Brevard County, which is about twice our size, lost 1,200 students. We lost 155. Comparatively speaking, we're doing really well."

The voucher number that came out last night: St. Lucie County is currently spending $93 million on Florida Empowerment Scholarships for students attending private schools and homeschool programs outside the public system.

Where the district stands: They ranked fifth in the state this year for administrative efficiency, measured by the number of administrators per 1,000 students. They dropped from third last year but remain among the leanest districts in Florida.

Watch our full conversation with Dr. Prince here for more on enrollment, the budget, new schools being built and how St. Lucie became an A-rated district for the first time in its history. And if you have not yet watched our conversation with EASL president David Freeland, that one pairs well with this story 🎙️.

💬 What do you think about how the district handled the shortfall? Call or text us at (772) 212-1504

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