[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6500336,"mediaKeyId","5506675-9dde149e6efbe6fb12c71893ee2e4566","parentId",5506675,"title","Broward staff to return with proposals for sports academy and Junior Achievement workforce center after public backing","audioSeconds",1251,"startMs",1565000,"endMs",2816000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5506675-9dde149e6efbe6fb12c71893ee2e4566&start=1565&end=2816","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5506675-9dde149e6efbe6fb12c71893ee2e4566/thumbnail_1565000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6500336/Florida/Broward-staff-to-return-with-proposals-for-sports-academy-and-Junior-Achievement-workforce-center-after-public-backing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500336-759ffed2cf4d91b72b63df00235846b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1774853898&Signature=WsOyZ-UWtoMkYK-ZAbsZinXOU2q8cF7bKuqX2ofwZjd8DUcp5~JhPZf50XvoCqpGsD8qcJrvyTJqBPioyNn3gt4ajW1X~jPBUzjFn-Ewg6IcAzrgMvFIpSJBSfesJZX0506SbmmOAEZXvD0fvPK5HegvTTO8vC7TZXGxQwbBplJ7pskSO0Nu9WqDgd2ETrZVaTu1ZkvpcaCWIVjky4LCx-9NYwIioHBD0hIT~HfnZOKM78EmZgMztJ5tpjrFk5O2D8nzilkFGWKh6wQOGxi1xG2gCNCVQLmv9OBZ4EkQ8JH7TlMnnBeyagHhSlKpW6v-b22USqnzu-4XmX8yEegXnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Broward County Public Schools","date","2025-07-29T16:15:00Z","article","Broward County School Board staff told a workshop that 58 district schools are below 70 percent capacity under policy 80 10 and asked the board whether it wanted staff to return with options to \"redefine\" school footprints and programming. The board gave consensus direction to bring two time‑sensitive proposals back at an August workshop: a K‑12 sports academy anchored at Bennett Elementary, Sunrise Middle School and Fort Lauderdale High School, and a workforce innovation center proposed by Junior Achievement to repurpose North Fork Elementary.

Valerie Wanda, chief strategy and innovation officer for Broward County Public Schools, presented enrollment data and staff recommendations and said the district grouped under‑enrolled schools into clusters for localized community conversations. \"There are 58 schools below the 70% capacity as outlined in policy 80 10 — 39 elementary, 16 middle, and 3 high schools,\" Wanda said during the presentation.

Staff described preliminary community interest and partnership offers. Lauren Salarillo, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida, told the board Junior Achievement would privately fund construction of a workforce innovation center and that a donor has pledged $10 million contingent on a land commitment by December. \"Yes, it would be fully publicly and privately funded by Junior Achievement of South Broward, just as JA World was,\" Salarillo said; she added the donor has asked for a decision on land by approximately December. Andrew Koenig, CEO of City Furniture and chair of the Junior Achievement board, and other business leaders spoke in support.

Community speakers — including more than a dozen students and parents from the Fort Lauderdale area — urged the board to back the sports academy, arguing improved athletic facilities and coordinated programming would help retain families and support student engagement. Student Harrison Guerra, a sixth‑grader at Sunrise Middle School, told the board, \"I believe putting funds towards sports equipment would benefit us all academically and mentally.\" Several speakers requested that the school board and the city of Fort Lauderdale match planned city investments in athletic upgrades.

Board members clarified the workshop was for discussion and that no votes were taken. Chair Hixson asked if any member disagreed with staff returning in August with detailed proposals for the two items; there were no objections. Board members emphasized the need for robust community engagement on any repurposing of a school facility. \"Because this would involve the repurposing of North Fork ... I would hope that we are being very sensitive to that community and that we will come back with relevant information,\" said one member.

Staff said two of the four items on page 19 of the presentation were time‑sensitive and could come back earlier for possible board commitment while other, more complex redefinition topics continued through the regular process. Staff also said the district must advertise school choice timelines to families by Oct. 1 as required by district policy and that choice application windows would open in October with award notifications to align with typical winter break timing.

Why it matters: The two proposals combine programming, facility use and outside funding and could affect student assignment, transportation and facility leases. The board asked staff to return with detailed plans, community engagement timelines and any funding requests; no formal board approval was given at the workshop.

Next steps: Staff will return at an August workshop with detailed proposals for the sports academy and the Junior Achievement workforce center, including community engagement plans, timelines, and any requested district commitments. The district reiterated that implementation decisions — including any boundary changes or facility repurposing — would become effective only after full board actions and public notice.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Broward County Public Schools - School Board Workshop - PART II - (IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING)","oneSentenceSummary","Broward County staff said 58 district schools are below 70 percent capacity and asked the board whether to pursue 'redefining' options; the board asked staff to return in August with detailed proposals for a sports academy and a Junior Achievement workforce center.","taxTitle","Broward, School Districts, Florida","taxId",15571,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6500340,"Broward school board hears brief update on Florida bills affecting charter conversions and 'Schools of Hope'",263,64000,327000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5506675-9dde149e6efbe6fb12c71893ee2e4566&start=64&end=327","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5506675-9dde149e6efbe6fb12c71893ee2e4566/thumbnail_64000.jpg","/articles/6500340/Florida/Broward-school-board-hears-brief-update-on-Florida-bills-affecting-charter-conversions-and-Schools-of-Hope","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500340-709b5b6781d99dd3752c8e44898d4656/orig.mp4?Expires=1774853898&Signature=aOqAfrErIOXkXSfMAKcDrQZp83pQONL0rM-MVqnea8nRv9MrcAfMrYCHjjxQDhhtU4GkmA9LHjSd1C1mFPZ4MryBzt-cBbiV6~eLHU303~C4b0qh2mEFckZ6MAe6WKtA-R0tSCg4QeYUs9~WO79PE1xGxYpkGPeVKwOPfFlYN2WoDKe6QyVLZhBgitswWJeX3Oz6iCwdjJnXSje8RUyiadpU-SxJCKw~WYtds-40MWOkx7ZquJFsON33sLPpvQGIq4IJdfFxS18BGj2H~UFbA3luU5oPacPUf3wowghzyvJhX9LSLSQb2LtirdZC8uWnOgwp2slGB0PjuRQS14fu8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Broward County School Board members heard a brief legislative update on two Florida bills that could affect district conversion-charter processes and state-operated \"Schools of Hope.\" Wendy Dodge, a lobbyist with The Southern Group, and Dr. Kim McDougal of GrayRobinson presented the summary at a board workshop.

The presenters said Senate Bill 1105 removes the parental vote from the current conversion-charter process and introduces a \"job‑engine\" charter school model that a municipality could propose to partner with local industries. \"HP 1105 makes changes to conversion charter schools,\" Wendy Dodge said, adding that the bill \"removed the parental vote from that process\" and adds the concept of a job‑engine charter school.

Dr. Kim McDougal summarized changes in Senate Bill 2510 to the Schools of Hope program, which places charter operators in persistently low‑performing schools. McDougal said the bill adds a new criterion for a school to be deemed persistently low performing — placement in the bottom 10 percent for student performance in at least two of the previous three years on state screening and progress monitoring measures — and allows a School of Hope to locate outside a district operating zone if the district lacks unused property. \"A School of Hope may collocate with another school in a public school facility,\" McDougal said, and the law as described will allow sponsors such as state colleges or universities.

McDougal also said districts would not receive payments from a School of Hope operating on district property under the new statute, although districts may submit for capital outlay funds for students enrolled in those schools. She noted that a previously discussed $600 per‑student provision did not survive the legislative process and that reporting requirements for Schools of Hope were expanded.

The board did not take action on either bill during the workshop. Superintendent and staff signaled the presentations were informational to help the board consider later options related to school redefinition and charter relations. No formal motion or vote on district policy changes was recorded at the session.

Why it matters: Both bills change how conversion charters and state‑authorized charter operators may open and locate schools, which can affect enrollment patterns and facility use within Broward County Public Schools. Staff told the board the summary was provided so members could factor the statutory changes into upcoming discussions about school redefinition.

Looking ahead: Board members and staff discussed these items only as context for later agenda items; staff did not propose immediate policy changes at the workshop. If the district pursues actions in response to either bill, the board would need to consider formal agenda items and public notice in subsequent meetings.","Lobbyists told the Broward County School Board workshop that Senate Bill 1105 changes the conversion-charter process and Senate Bill 2510 changes criteria and site rules for Schools of Hope; staff presented no district action at the meeting, only information for future discussion.","actionData","errors"]

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Broward staff to return with proposals for sports academy and Junior Achievement workforce center after public backing

Broward school board hears brief update on Florida bills affecting charter conversions and 'Schools of Hope'