Broward County Public Schools is a public school district serving Broward County, Florida, United States. It is the sixth largest public school system in the nation. Headquartered in the city downtown of Fort Lauderdale,Contact Us . Broward County Public Schools. Retrieved on May 6, 2009. it is the sole school district in the county. - Text list
During the 2023–2024 school year, Broward County Public Schools served 251,106 students enrolled in 326 schools and education centers district-wide.
Following the 2025-2026 school year, Broward County Public School became an "A" rated school district for the 3rd consecutive year, according to the Florida Department of Edication.
History
Prior to 1966, the county provided completely separate sets of schools for White students and Black students. In 1966, the school district began to experiment with allowing a limited number of Black students to learn alongside White students, ultimately integrating the races in 1969.
William J. Leary served as superintendent until 1988; the school board did not want him to serve out the remainder of his term, so it paid him $113,516 in severance.
Virgil "Sam" Morgan became superintendent of Broward county in 1988. In 1994 Broward's superintendent, Virgil "Sam" Morgan retired after leading the School district for more than five years.
In 1994, Frank Petruzielo became the superintendent. Petruzielo's time as superintendent ended in 1999.
Frank Till became the Superintendent in 1999 after Frank Petruzielo's retirement. Frank Till was fired by the school board for no apparent reason in 2006.
James Notter replaced Till in 2006. In 2011, James Notter resigned from his position as superintendent.
Robert Runcie became superintendent following the resignation of James Notter in 2011. Under Runcie, the Parkland school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High took place, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Robert Runcie was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on a felony charge of perjury, after a grand jury commissioned by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019 to review safety and security matters after the Parkland school shooting recommend it. Robert Runcie then resigned his position In 2021.
In 2021, Dr. Vickie Cartwright was chosen as interim superintendent by the Broward County School Board. Although the process was controversial, she was later selected as the permanent superintendent. In November 2022, Dr. Vickie Cartwright was fired by the Broward County School Board, following four board members being replaced by Governor Ron DeSantis. In December 2022, the newly elected board members rescinded her firing. Dr. Vickie Cartwright later resigned in 2023.
Peter B. Licata became superintendent in August 2023. Licata later retired in April 2024 after being superintendent for only 10 months due to health concerns. Licata was replaced by Howard Hepburn as superintendent on the same day. Howard Hepburn is the current superintendent.
Throughout 2023, a contingent of Broward County citizens called Truth Matters has attended school board meetings, generally speaking against motions supported by gubernatorial appointees and for motions supported by elected school board members.
School Board The current Superintendent of schools is Dr. Howard Hepburn. The members of the school board, which oversee the district, are as follows:
District 1 – Maura McCarthy Bulman District 2 – Rebecca Thompson District 3 – Sarah Leonardi (Chair) District 4 – Lori Alhadeff District 5 – Dr. Jeff Holness (Vice Chair) District 6 – Adam Cervera, Esq. District 7 – Nora Rupert District 8 (At Large) – Dr. Allen Zeman District 9 (At Large) – Debra Hixon
Superintendent of Schools William J. Leary (1984–1988) Sam Morgan (1988–1994) Frank Petruzielo (1994–1999) Frank Till (1999–2006) James Notter (2006–2011) Robert Runcie (2011–2021) Vickie Cartwright (2021–2023) Earlean C. Smiley (2023) Peter B. Licata (2023–2024) Howard Hepburn (2024–present)
Controversies Handling of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting On February 14, 2018, a former student opened fire at a Broward school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, murdering 17 people and injuring 17 others.
Superintendent Robert Runcie and the School Board faced criticism for their handling of policies and the lack of guidance assisted to the shooter while he was a student. Runcie and the Board faced particular criticism, including from some parents of students at Stoneman Douglas High School, for the creation of an alternative discipline program for students accused of nonviolent misdemeanors called "Promise", which the Parkland shooter had been referred to.
In the lead up to the 2018 gubernatorial election, Republican candidate Ron DeSantis vowed to remove Runcie from his office, although he conceded that only the school board could do so. On February 13, 2019, now Florida Governor DeSantis announced that he had petitioned a statewide grand jury investigation.
In May 2021, after the grand jury indicted him for perjury during their investigation, Runcie announced his intention to step down. Supporters of Runcie accused the grand jury investigation that led to his indictment of being politically motivated.
School closures and mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the school district switched almost entirely to online classes in March 2020 and gradually returned to in-person instruction starting in the fall of 2020. The exact timing of school re-openings led to tension between the school board and the state government. Throughout the 2020–2021 school year, the district required all students and staff to wear face masks as a preventative measure. In the fall of 2021, growing public opposition to mask mandates led Governor Ron DeSantis to prohibit local school districts from requiring masks. The school board chose to defy the state government and continue requiring masks, along with several other school districts in the state. In response the Florida Board of Education voted to prevent the district from doing so and could replace elected board members. DeSantis withheld funding from school districts that required masks. The federal government stepped in to replace the money with federal funds, but after the state blocked that funding as well, the US Department of Education warned the state that it may have violated federal law.
List of schools During the 2023-2024 academic school year, the District served 251,106 students. The district covers a total of 326 institutions: 137 elementary schools, 35 middle schools, 32 high schools, 9 combination schools, 3 technical colleges, 23 centers, and 87 charter schools.
6–12 secondary schools Dillard High School 6-12 (1907) Lauderhill 6–12 STEM-MED Millennium 6–12 Collegiate Academy Pines Collegiate Academy 6–12
High schools
Atlantic Technical College and Technical High School (1973) Blanche Ely High School (1951) Boyd H. Anderson High School (1971) Broward Virtual Education High (2001) Charles W. Flanagan High School (1996) Coconut Creek High School (1971) Cooper City High School (1971) College Academy @ BC (2001) Coral Glades High School (2004) Coral Springs High School (1975) Cypress Bay High School (2002) Dave Thomas Educational Center – formerly North County Educational Ctr. (1986) Dillard High School (1907) Deerfield Beach High School (1970) Everglades High School (2003) Fort Lauderdale High School (1899) Hallandale High School (1973) Hollywood Hills High School (1967)
J. P. Taravella High School (1980) McArthur High School (1961) McFatter Technical College and Technical High School (1985) Miramar High School (1970) Monarch High School (2003) Northeast High School (1962) Nova High School (1960) Piper High School (1971) Plantation High School (1963) Pompano Beach High School (1928) Sheridan Technical College and High School (1967) South Broward High School (1952) South Plantation High School (1971) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (1990) Stranahan High School (1953) West Broward High School (2008) Western High School (1981)
Middle schools
Apollo Middle School Arthur Ashe Middle School (closed, nowa campus of Atlantic Technical College) Attucks Middle School Bair Middle School Broward Virtual Middle Coral Springs Middle School Crystal Lake Middle School Deerfield Beach Middle School Driftwood Middle School Falcon Cove Middle School Forest Glen Middle School Glades Middle School Indian Ridge Middle School Lauderdale Lakes Middle School Lyons Creek Middle School Margate Middle School McNicol Middle School New Renaissance Middle School
New River Middle School Nova Middle School Olsen Middle School Parkway Middle School of the Arts Pioneer Middle School Plantation Middle School Pompano Beach Middle School Ramblewood Middle School James S. Richtards Middle School Sawgrass Springs Middle School Seminole Middle School Silver Lakes Middle School Silver Trail Middle School Sunrise Middle School Tequesta Trace Middle School Walter C. Young Middle School Westglades Middle School Westpine Middle School Central Charter School William Dandy Middle School
Elementary schools
Annabel C. Perry PreK-8 Atlantic West Elementary School Banyan Elementary School Bayview Elementary School Beachside Montessori Village (K–8) Bennett Elementary School Mary M. Bethune Elementary School of the Arts Boulevard Heights Elementary School Broadview Elementary School Castle Hill Elementary School Central Park Elementary School Challenger Elementary School Chapel Trail Elementary School Coconut Creek K–8 Coconut Palm Elementary School Colbert Elementary School Collins Elementary School Cooper City Elementary School Coral Cove K–8 Coral Park Elementary School Coral Springs Elementary School Country Hills Elementary School Country Isles Elementary School Cresthaven Elementary School Croissant Park Elementary School Cypress Elementary School Dania Elementary School Davie Elementary School Deerfield Beach Elementary School Deerfield Park Elementary School Dillard Elementary School Discovery Elementary School Dolphin Bay Elementary School Charles Drew Elementary School Driftwood Elementary School Eagle Point Elementary School Eagle Ridge Elementary School Embassy Creek Elementary School (1992) Endeavour Primary Learning Center Everglades Elementary School Fairway Elementary School Flamingo Elementary School Floranada Elementary School Forest Hills Elementary School Stephen Foster Elementary School Fox Trail Elementary School Gator Run Elementary School Griffin Elementary School Gulfstream Academy of Hallandale Beach K–8 Hawkes Bluff Elementary School Heron Heights Elementary School Harbordale Elementary School Hollywood Central K–8 Hollywood Hills Elementary School Hollywood Park Elementary School Horizon Elementary School James S. Hunt Elementary School Indian Trace Elementary School Martin Luther King Elementary School Lake Forest Elementary School Lakeside Elementary School Larkdale Elementary School Lauderdale Manors Elementary School Lauderhill Paul Turner Elementary School Liberty Elementary School Lloyd Estates Elementary School Manatee Bay Elementary School Maplewood Elementary School Margate Elementary School McNab Elementary School Meadowbrook Elementary School Miramar Elementary School Mirror Lake Elementary School Morrow Elementary School Nob Hill Elementary School Norcrest Elementary School North Andrews Gardens Elementary School North Fork Elementary School North Lauderdale Elementary School North Side Elementary School Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School Nova Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School Oakland Park Elementary School Oakridge Elementary School Orange Brook Elementary School Oriole Elementary School Palm Cove Elementary School Palmview Elementary School Panther Run Elementary School (1998) Park Lakes Elementary School Park Ridge Elementary School Park Springs Elementary School Park Trails Elementary School