FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A back to school battle is brewing while funding is at stake if Broward County Public Schools do not start reopening campuses by Monday.
The school board held an emergency meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday to figure out their options.
“The state has the ability to hold the purse strings of the district, and I can tell you that, on principle, yes, it makes sense for us to go and fight this, but sometimes you have to lose to win,” said Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie. “When we have significant dollars at stake that could impact our teachers, our classrooms, our students, we have a responsibility to make sure that that doesn’t happen and that they are protected.”
The initial plan was a staggered start beginning in mid-October, but now the state is requiring the district to push the start date up and people are not happy about it.
Like Miami-Dade, due to a mandate by the Department of Education, Broward will have to open school doors by next Monday or risk losing funding.
In a statement, a representative for the district said in part, “Given the financial implications in not complying with the state’s mandated order, there is likelihood of us recommending an earlier start date.”
“We take this very seriously,” said Runcie.
Just one week after Runcie announced a staggered return to the classroom, the district is now forced to figure out how to reopen by Oct. 5.
Getting back to the classroom is easier said than done.
Officials said they still have to review parent and teacher surveys to see how many students will be returning, how many teachers will be there when they do, and if there will be enough teachers.
Right now, the district does not know.
There is also the issue of how students will get to school.
Bus routes are still not finalized.
The district said, “Staff has been working diligently to prepare our 238 schools for an Oct. 16 opening. The time left to complete the preparations is now four days. Advancing the district’s opening date by nine days will create obvious challenges. During this time, we ask that our BCPS community — our families and students, our teachers and staff — appreciates the complexity of the situation and know that we will continue to work hard and be transparent.”
The head of the Broward Teachers’ Union, Anna Fusco, was not happy about the mid-October start date. She likely will not be happy about an even earlier start date.
She also held a news conference outside the BCPS headquarters Thursday morning.
“I personally feel that we need to stand up, and I don’t want to say, ‘Call his bluff,’ but to say, ‘No! It’s six school days to get extra protection, to make sure that our schools open safely and with help,” said Fusco.
The school board’s hands are tied as this is funding that they depend on.
The district has a plan that is awaiting approval.
Oct. 5 will be teacher day and students will start returning on Oct. 6. All grades will be in school by the end of that week.
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