Public Schools — Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Broward County Public Schools operates Fort Lauderdale's public school system from its downtown headquarters at 600 SE 3rd Avenue, earning an A district rating for the second consecutive year in 2024-2025.

The District in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale sits within Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), the sole public school district in Broward County and the fourth-largest school district in Florida. The district maintains its administrative headquarters in downtown Fort Lauderdale at 600 SE 3rd Avenue. According to U.S. News Education, the district serves a student population that is 90% minority and 35% economically disadvantaged. The National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2024-2025 records the district's staff count at 27,217.61 full-time equivalents. Dr. Howard Hepburn took office as superintendent in April 2024, succeeding Peter B. Licata, who retired after approximately ten months due to health concerns. The Florida Department of Education's school-grading framework provides the district's external accountability structure.

Notable Schools and Magnet Programs

Fort Lauderdale High School, located at 1600 NE 4th Avenue, is the oldest continuously functioning high school in Broward County, founded in 1899. As of the 2025-2026 school year, principal Priscilla Ribeiro is confirmed in her seventh year leading the school, according to the school's official administration page. The school hosts two distinct magnet programs. The Cambridge International programme offers the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) diploma, a credential recognized in 167 countries and comprising access to more than 30 college-level courses; the program also qualifies students for Florida's Bright Futures scholarship and received a National Merit Award of Excellence from Magnet Schools of America in 2019. The Pre-Law and Public Affairs magnet is a college-preparatory curriculum covering legal studies, criminal justice, public service, and social work tracks. The school's BCPS-hosted site reports a ranking in the top 7% of all U.S. high schools by U.S. News.

Dillard High School (grades 6-12), situated at 2501 NW 11th Street, houses the district's Performing Arts and Computer Technology magnet programs. Its Dillard Center for the Arts delivers training in dance, music, theater, and visual arts alongside the standard academic curriculum. Alfred L. Broomfield II joined as principal for the 2025-2026 school year, according to the school's official administration page. A third Fort Lauderdale magnet site, Sheridan Technical College and Technical High School at 3775 SW 16th Street, is identified by BCPS as a high school magnet site offering technical and career education pathways within the district's system of three technical colleges.

Fort Lauderdale HS Founded
1899
BCPS / Fort Lauderdale HS Official Site, 2026
FLHS Principal (2025-26)
Priscilla Ribeiro (7th year)
BCPS Fort Lauderdale HS Admin Page, 2026
Dillard HS Principal (2025-26)
Alfred L. Broomfield II
BCPS Dillard HS Admin Page, 2026
AICE Diploma Recognition
167 countries
Cambridge International — FLHS (BCPS), 2026
FLHS U.S. News Ranking
Top 7% nationally
Fort Lauderdale HS Official BCPS Site, 2026
Sheridan Technical HS Address
3775 SW 16th St, Fort Lauderdale
BCPS High School Magnet Program Themes, 2026

District Performance and Accountability

As of May 2026, BCPS holds an A district rating under the Florida Department of Education's school-grading framework for the 2024-2025 school year — its second consecutive A rating, according to the district's own news release and reporting by Local 10 News in July 2025. The district had not achieved an A rating between 2011 and the 2023-2024 school year; NBC Miami reported that Superintendent Hepburn credited the turnaround to a renewed focus on classroom instruction. For 2024-2025, the district counted 110 A-grade schools, 69 B-grade schools, and 34 C-grade schools district-wide. In the prior cycle (2023-2024), WSVN reported that 64% of all BCPS schools earned A or B ratings and fewer than 4% earned D or F ratings. The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance's CEO, as reported by NBC Miami, noted that the district grade carries direct economic significance for the region's workforce and business attraction.

Enrollment Trends and Facilities Planning

At the start of the 2025-2026 school year, CBS News Miami reported BCPS enrollment at approximately 236,000 students — a decrease of roughly 10,000 students in a single year. Factors cited include the expansion of private school vouchers, smaller household sizes, and families relocating out of Florida. In response, Superintendent Hepburn launched an initiative titled Redefining Our Schools, which by August 2025 had identified 34 schools across the district for potential closure, repurposing, or consolidation, as documented by WLRN. Among those identified was Bennett Elementary in Fort Lauderdale.

In December 2025, Local 10 News reported that the superintendent's proposal named seven schools for outright closure, including two Fort Lauderdale campuses: Seagull Alternative High School at 425 SW 28th Street and Northfork Elementary. The school board was presented with this proposal as a Phase 2 step in the broader facilities rationalization effort. Final decisions on these closures were subject to board deliberation following the December 2025 proposal.

Funding and Bond Oversight

BCPS operates under a voter-approved millage referendum that was renewed in August 2022, when Broward County voters approved doubling the operating millage from 0.5 to 1.0 mill, according to the district's referendum page. That renewal generates approximately $267 million annually for BCPS and charter schools combined. A separate General Obligation Bond program, known as the SMART bond, is tracked by the district's Bond Oversight Committee, a body created to provide independent accountability for bond expenditures. As of the end of 2025, more than 60 SMART bond projects had been completed, more than 180 were under construction, and more than 50 were in planning stages. The Broward Education Foundation, the sole 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting BCPS, provides philanthropic support supplementing district and state funding.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs Used for: Population (183,032), median age (42.9), median household income ($79,935), median home value ($455,600), poverty rate (15.2%), unemployment rate (5.3%), labor force participation (73%), renter-occupied housing (46.2%), bachelor's degree attainment (23.8%)
  2. About Us — Broward County Public Schools https://www.browardschools.com/about-us Used for: District headquarters location, Cambridge District of the Year awards, #BrowardCODES initiative, technical college certifications, 2024-25 school grades sourcing, chess program
  3. Fort Lauderdale High School — Official BCPS Site https://fortlauderdale.browardschools.com/ Used for: FLHS school address (1600 NE 4th Ave), A-rated status, U.S. News top 7% national ranking, established 1915 institutional identity, Cambridge AICE and Pre-Law magnet programs listed
  4. Cambridge International — Fort Lauderdale High School (BCPS) https://fortlauderdale.browardschools.com/academics/academic-pathways/cambridge-international Used for: AICE diploma recognized in 167 countries, access to 30+ college-level courses, Bright Futures scholarship qualification, National Merit Award of Excellence 2019 from Magnet Schools of America
  5. Pre-Law and Public Affairs Magnet — Fort Lauderdale High School (BCPS) https://fortlauderdale.browardschools.com/academics/academic-pathways/magnet-programs/pre-law-and-public-affairs Used for: Pre-Law program description, curriculum tracks including criminal justice, law, public service, and social work
  6. High School Magnet Program Themes — Broward County Public Schools https://www.browardschools.com/bcps-departments/strategy-innovation/magnet-programs/explore-by-themes/high-school-magnet-program-themes Used for: Sheridan Technical College and Technical High School location (3775 SW 16th Street, Fort Lauderdale) and program listing
  7. Dillard High 6-12 — Official BCPS Site https://dillard612.browardschools.com/ Used for: Dillard High School address and institutional identity as BCPS school
  8. Broward County Public Schools — U.S. News Education https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/florida/districts/broward-112471 Used for: District address (600 SE 3rd Ave, Fort Lauderdale), minority enrollment (90%), economically disadvantaged students (35%), district size
  9. Broward County Public Schools — NCES Common Core of Data (2024-2025) https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=2&ID2=1200180 Used for: District staff count of 27,217.61 for the 2024-2025 school year
  10. About Broward College — Official Broward College Website https://www.broward.edu/about/ Used for: Broward College established by Florida Legislature 1959, opened September 6 1960, first class of 701 students, former Naval Air Station site, Central Campus opened 1963, third-largest enrollment in Florida College System, 51,000+ students, 3,300+ faculty and staff
  11. Higher Education — Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance https://www.gflalliance.org/information-center/higher-education Used for: Nova Southeastern University described as ninth-largest independent university with 24,000 students and 314-acre Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus
  12. Miami-Dade, Broward county schools earn 'A' grade for 2024 — WSVN 7News https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/miami-dade-broward-county-schools-earn-a-grade-for-2024/ Used for: Broward County earned 'A' district grade for 2023–2024, first since 2011; 64% of all schools earned A or B; less than 4% earned D or F
  13. Broward County Public Schools earns A grade for first time since 2011 — NBC Miami https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/broward-county-public-schools-earns-a-grade-for-first-time-since-2011/3370424/ Used for: Superintendent Hepburn credited classroom focus for 'A' rating; Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance CEO statement on economic significance of school grade
  14. Broward considers 34 schools for closure, repurposing or consolidation — WLRN https://www.wlrn.org/education/2025-08-27/broward-schools-low-enrollment-closures-plan Used for: 34 schools identified for closure/repurposing/consolidation including Bennett Elementary in Fort Lauderdale; Phase 2 school board plan details
  15. Plantation Middle's future in doubt as Broward weighs school closures — CBS News Miami https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/plantation-middles-future-in-doubt-as-broward-weighs-school-closures-amid-enrollment-decline/ Used for: Enrollment of ~236,000 at start of 2025–26 school year, decrease of ~10,000 in one year, causes cited (private school vouchers, smaller families, families leaving Florida), Superintendent Hepburn quote
  16. These 7 Broward schools would close under superintendent's proposal — Local 10 News https://www.local10.com/news/local/2025/12/08/these-7-broward-schools-would-close-under-superintendents-proposal/ Used for: 'Redefining Our Schools' initiative name; Seagull Alternative High School (425 SW 28th St., Fort Lauderdale) and Northfork Elementary in Fort Lauderdale identified for closure in December 2025 proposal
  17. BCPS Bond Oversight Committee — Official Website http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/boc/ Used for: Bond Oversight Committee existence and mandate; voter-approved General Obligation Bond referendum accountability function
  18. Broward Education Foundation — Official Website https://browardedfoundation.org/ Used for: Broward Education Foundation identified as sole 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting Broward County Public Schools
Last updated: May 1, 2026