Broward students press board on mental health, electives and college access at quarterly feedback session

Student leaders from across Broward County told the School Board on May 20 that schools are offering strong class options in many places but lack consistent access to mental-health services, reliable extracurricular funding and clear pathways to post‑secondary opportunities. The session, billed as the district’s first quarterly student and school board feedback event, brought 16 student advisors to the dais and drew sustained discussion from the board and district staff.

The students — one middle and one high school student selected from each school board district — raised similar themes. ‘‘I wish that there were more programs, particularly for certain career paths that children wanna go into,’’ said Tamilla Shellman, a senior at Deerfield Beach High School, urging more law and medical pathways. Josiah, a senior at McPhatter Technical High School, told the board that arts programs, band and theater were being squeezed: ‘‘We’re afraid that maybe in 5, 10 years there might not be any more musical programs.’’

Why it matters: Students said uneven access to counselors and school social workers is worsening burnout and making college planning harder for families. Board members and staff acknowledged the gap and described several follow-ups: improved scheduling for counselors, a district review of staffing allocations, a scholarship dashboard in development and a push to connect students to career and technical education options.

Most urgent points raised

- Mental health access: Multiple students said they know who to contact on campus but cannot get timely appointments because counselors or social workers often are not available. Jody Washington, the district’s executive director of student services initiatives, told the board that wellness-screening data are monitored by school counselors and district staff and that higher‑risk scores trigger follow‑up within 24 hours. Dr. Hepburn, the superintendent, said the district will examine how results and follow-up plans are communicated back to students. "Feedback is a gift," he told students, thanking them for specific examples of what was and wasn’t working.

- College and career readiness: Seniors said scholarship notices posted on Canvas often get missed; they asked for repeated, visible outreach and in‑person workshops early in the year. One senior recommended assemblies and targeted study‑hall time for scholarship applications. Board members asked the district to make scholarship lists easier to find in existing systems and to consider alternate channels students use daily.

- Electives and extracurriculars: Students from Dillard High School and others described cancelled or underfunded band trips and missing transportation, which they said undermined participation and morale. Board members said they would examine budget allocations and the role of school‑level discretionary funds and foundations to ensure equitable access to extracurricular travel and supplies.

What the board and staff said

Board member Laurie H. Leonardi thanked students and praised staff responsiveness, noting Dr. Lozano had already visited schools after safety concerns were raised. Superintendent Dr. V. Hepburn said the district will return with concrete steps; he asked staff to prioritize clearer communications about counselor availability, to explore regional program options that reduce cross‑county travel and to accelerate a scholarship dashboard project to make opportunities easier to find.

Ending

Students asked for continued contact with board members and for the district to close the loop on specific suggestions. The board said it would take student input into budget and program decisions for the coming school year and to bring students into future mental‑health workshops. Students will also be able to submit campus‑specific security concerns on forms collected at the end of the session for direct follow‑up by the district safety office.