State Board of Education Ensures Broward County School Board is Responsible for $80 Million Payments to Charter Schools

Florida’s State Board of Education has made headlines this week after acknowledging Broward County School Board’s decision to comply with state law and pay more than $80 million owed to charter schools in their district. The Broward County School District agreed to a three-year payment plan to settle the debt with charter schools, following an investigation launched by the State Board of Education last month.

The investigation found that the Broward County School Board had not properly shared revenue with charter schools in their district, as required by law. The State Board of Education concluded that the district was not in compliance with its obligation to share over $80 million in funds collected under a local ad valorem tax. This failure to share funding stemmed from a referendum passed by Broward County voters in 2018 to provide additional funding to public schools.

Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz expressed his satisfaction with the agreement reached in Broward County, emphasizing the importance of accountability in education. The State Board of Education also approved an amendment to the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida, clarifying ethical expectations for school principals. The amendment prohibits principals from preventing students from accessing educational materials unless deemed inappropriate by Florida Statutes or school board policies.

This development aims to ensure that principals understand their responsibility to provide students with access to appropriate educational materials. The State Board of Education will continue to monitor the agreement between Broward County School Board and charter schools to ensure full compliance.