Lee County schools face $47 million budget cuts amid enrollment decline

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

The School District of Lee County superintendent is proposing nearly $47 million in budget cuts, citing inflation, rising costs, and the loss of 800 students as key factors driving the decision.

Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin explained that Florida funds school districts based on student population, and despite the area’s growth, schools are earning less due to declining enrollment.

“We cannot afford to fund our schools over and above what they earn,” Carlin said.

Carlin attributed the student loss to increased educational options in Florida, including virtual schools, charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.

“Parents now have a choice in Florida. They get to come to traditional schools, virtual schools, charter schools, private schools, and sometimes they even homeschool, right?” Carlin said.

Lee School Board Member Debbie Jordan suggested immigration enforcement may have contributed to the student decline.

“When ICE came out, we lost a lot of our children, disappeared, we don’t know where they went. Remember: We are a minority/majority district,” Jordan said.

Carlin acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of the missing students.

“We are down 800 students, but to know where exactly all those students went, Miss Jordan may have information that I don’t have,” Carlin said.

Carlin emphasized that the budget cuts are a matter of necessity.

“I was elected to do a job. It doesn’t always make you popular when you have to balance a budget,” Carlin said.

While the number of teacher layoffs remains unclear, concerns have been raised about administrative salaries. The superintendent confirmed that cuts have already been made in the central office.

“I have made cuts already. When I first came on board, I made a 5% cut. We right-sized our district,” Carlin said.

She added, “Right now at the central office, the budget that our office received is minus $6.5 million. We have made reductions at the central office.”

School board candidate India Palencia called for further administrative cuts instead of targeting teachers.

“It was alarming to see the high rate of pay for the folks at the top in our central office,” Palencia said.

“When you’re making high six-figure salaries, and we have teachers walking out who have been with our schools for 38 years, it seems like our priorities are completely off,” Palencia said.

Carlin defended the salaries, stating they are comparable to other districts.

“Here’s where we’re at. Right now, the schools submitted their budget to us on Monday. We’re taking the time through the balance of the week to go through to examine those budgets to see where schools may have some pain points,” Carlin said.

She stressed that no decisions are final yet, as the district is conducting a department-by-department headcount. More information is expected next week.

State lawmakers have yet to pass a budget, which is impacting districts statewide. School leaders are waiting for lawmakers to approve a final budget to determine funding allocations. There is a possibility that the proposed cuts could deepen further.

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