“Honestly, it’s been a disaster,” says Florida Governor Ron DeSantis when addressing the shortcomings about the Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) district.

BCPS has been distressed for a while, with ‌enrollment rates dropping significantly for many reasons, tracing back to shifts towards homeschooling, private institutions, and possible immigration effects. Enrollment has dropped 5.4 percent since the last enrollment check. 

However, this isn’t the only reason DeSantis believes the county needs fixing. According to him, schools are being run with ‘entrenched interests’ rather than the interests of students and parents.

Additionally, there are many financial issues for Broward County public schools, which include spending about $2.6 million for an office space lease, rather than using funds for under-funded and underutilized school districts. Most controversially, a misallocation of referendum dollars—funds generated by voter-approved local tax to boost teacher salaries—was given to the highest-paid staffers for bonuses up to $14,000.

DeSantis states he is ready for a change, suggesting that Education Commissioner Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas could take control of most of the county district to implement his changes. 

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn responded to DeSantis’s comments, saying he is aware that the Broward County school district is facing various problems but they are handling the situation. 

“We are taking disciplinary action to ensure financial stability, academic excellence, and accountability,” Hepburn comments.

BCPS had earned the title of an ‘A’ rated district for the second year in a row, improving significantly from the previous year and showing the dedication and hard work from both students and staff. As of now, action is being taken to improve the county, but there is no telling what DeSantis has planned for the future.