Broward County Cutting Teachers While Other Districts Do Not

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Miami teachers protest state budget cuts in March

Why are Broward County schools cutting 2,400 jobs — mostly teachers —  and requiring unpaid leave when other district proposed budgets avoid layoffs? The South Florida Sun-Sentinel has posted a Q&A about Broward’s budget problems. One answer: Broward could not sit on federal stimulus money like Miami-Dade or Palm Beach counties.

“Both those counties set aside at least half of last year’s unexpected infusion of federal stimulus money to prop up budgets this year. Broward used most of its $54 million pot last year to hire teachers in an effort to comply with the state’s class-size law. The rest was folded into this year’s proposed budget to help cover a $171 million shortfall.