Erica Whitfield, a Palm Beach County School Board member, told the Delray Beach City Commission on Sept. 3 that the county school system is expecting about 5,516 fewer students than projected for the fall, a shortfall she said will reduce state funding by roughly the per-pupil allocation. "We are down about 5,516 students anticipated," Whitfield said.

Whitfield, who said she represents the school board and visits the cities she serves annually, said district leadership is adjusting the budget this month and has instituted a hiring freeze to mitigate the revenue loss. She told commissioners the district receives about $9,000 per student in state funding on average and that the shortfall therefore represents "real dollars" that require budget changes.

The shortfall is not yet final: Whitfield said the district will certify full-time-equivalent counts in October. She told the commission that, based on the October certification, administrators are working to preserve positions and avoid layoffs but that reductions in other areas or offsetting measures are being considered.

Whitfield described several local school outcomes in Delray Beach. She said Banyan Creek and Plumosa elementary schools are at A grades; Pine Grove has improved; Atlantic High School remains a B; Carver and Village Academy hold lower ratings. She highlighted the district's two-part grading methodology—academic achievement and learning gains—and said raising the rigor of state standards has changed how letter grades are earned.

On strategy, Whitfield said the district will expand career and technical education at the historic Carver campus, focusing on adult education and vocational programs and seeking business partners to teach and sponsor hands-on workforce programs. She encouraged the commission and community to help recruit employers and volunteers; she said the board will hold a workshop Nov. 5 to review workforce proposals.

Commissioners pressed Whitfield for more detail on causes of enrollment declines. Commissioner John Cassell asked whether vouchers, private schools or demographic change explained the drop; Whitfield said multiple causes are possible and noted charter schools are seeing similar declines (she referenced an approximate 3.4% decline among charters). Whitfield also said statewide trends show larger drops in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

Whitfield described the district's additional funding lines for English-language learners and special education and said the district is increasing rigor in grade criteria. She urged Delray Beach residents to help get students registered before the October count to restore funding. "If you can come in before October, we would actually get the funding for it," she said.

The presentation was informational; the commission did not take formal action on school operations during the Sept. 3 meeting. Commissioners asked for ongoing updates and requested invitations to future board workshops and staff-to-staff meetings so the city and school district can coordinate on interlocal agreements and local programs.